


Forever In Your Hands

by articcat621



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Cross-Generation Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Marriage Law Challenge, Romance, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 11:19:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 42,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17827589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/articcat621/pseuds/articcat621
Summary: Two people adjust to their new lives together, will they make it? How will this affect the War?





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. I hope you all enjoy this new story of mine! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter One  
**

Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table eating her breakfast. It seemed like a regular Tuesday, with nothing too exciting happening apart from the usual lessons.

She had just celebrated her seventeenth birthday three days ago, and life was going rather well.

Looking across the table, she saw Ron stuffing his face as usual, and Harry sending secret glances towards Ginny.

A usual day.

She glanced up towards the Head table, and saw Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall in a heated discussion. Furrowing her eyebrows, she decided to watch them. McGonagall's face had turned a bright red, which was a tell-tale sign that her head of house was furious about something. She wondered what was wrong.

A flutter of wings announced that the mail had arrived. Looking up, Hermione was surprised to see a tawny owl drop a red envelope in front of her.

"Who's that from?" Ron asked in-between mouthfuls of food.

Hermione shrugged. "I have no idea."

Harry eyed the letter suspiciously. Looking around, he saw a few other people had received the same red envelope as well.

Hermione tore the envelope open, unaware of the Headmaster's eyes on her.

Her eyebrows knitted together when she saw the Ministry of Magic heading.

What on earth could they possibly want?

_Dear Hermione Granger,_

_It is our pleasure to announce that last night, the Marriage Act was passed by the Ministry. As you are now of age, you fall under this arrangement. The terms of the act are as follows:_

_1\. Muggle-born males and females have an obligation to the wizarding community to marry on_ or _following their seventeenth birthday._

_2\. Pureblood families may petition any Muggle-born individual,_ a _nd must receive an answer in two weeks following the petition._

_3\. A Muggle-born may only deny a petition if he or she accepts another from a different Pureblood family._

_4\. If needed, the Muggle-born female of the marriage may be forced by their Pureblood partner to desist from all strenuous activity (e.g. schooling, work) in order to rear the children._

_5\. The marriage must be consummated weekly. To ensure this, a binding ritual is requested along with the marriage ceremony. If the couple fails to comply, they will be fined_ a _nd assigned a ministry member to ensure that copulation takes place._

_6\. The use of contraception (both magical and Muggle) is forbidden, and use of such is punishable by the Wizengamot._

_7\. An heir must be produced within one year of the marriage._

_8\. Marriages are for life. The bond cannot be broken, except by death._

_Failure to comply with any of the terms listed above will result in your wand being destroyed, and a life sentence in Azkaban._

_Within the next few days, you will receive propositions from Pureblood men who would like your hand._

_I wish you the best of luck, and hope to see you soon in order to select the date for your wedding._

_Have a nice day!_

_Sincerely,_

_Matilda Bernstein._

Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat. No… No, this wasn't possible. She re-read the article twice.

Suddenly, someone screamed across the hall. Hermione turned to see one of the seventh year girls crying. She had received the letter, too.

Hermione looked down, reading the letter once more.

Anger began to rise up inside of her. "What the hell!" she exclaimed. "They can't possibly do this…"

"Hermione, what does it say?" Harry asked, looking at Hermione's worried appearance.

She threw the letter towards him, and then stood up. She ran out of the Hall before anyone could stop her. She could feel the hot tears pouring down her cheeks.

She ran towards the Astronomy Tower, climbing the stairs quickly. Once she had reached her destination, she collapsed into a heap on the floor.

She couldn't believe this was happening. She would have to marry someone! Her life would be over before it could even begin.

A sob escaped her lips as she clutched her head in her hands. Her life was over— done with. No doubt whomever she was forced to marry would make her quit school.

Quit school to raise children.

Bile rose up in her throat.

It wasn't fair.

Hermione stayed like that, sobbing uncontrollably for what seemed like an age. However, after a while, reality began to sink in.

This had Voldemort's handiwork written all over it.

What if she had to marry a Death Eater? Her stomach clenched at the thought. Merlin knows what would happen to her if that was the case. Torture… Rape…. She shuddered at the thought.

Merlin, what if she had to marry someone old? Her nose crinkled in disgust.

This wasn't what she wanted! What would her parents think? They would be horrified, just like Hermione was.

She knew there wasn't any way out of it, yet she couldn't bring herself to accept it. Denial was a nice place to be at the moment.

* * *

Hermione spent the rest of the day in the tower overlooking the grounds. For once, she didn't care that she was missing her lessons. She didn't want to be around anyone.

She could only imagine what Harry and Ron were thinking right now. No doubt they would be trying to figure out a way to get her out of this predicament.

Ron was probably angry with her, despite it not being her choice in the matter. Hermione knew he liked her, and this would only cause tension between them.

He was a Pureblood, but he wasn't of age yet. But even if he was, she couldn't bring herself to marry him. Ron was like her brother; she couldn't think of being intimate with him.

Hermione felt the blood drain from her face.

_Intimacy._

She had completely forgotten that aspect of the law! She would have to lose her virginity to someone she didn't love… quite possibly someone she didn't know.

Hermione had never felt more horrified in her life. She felt like a piece of cattle that was going to go to the highest bidder.

Hermione heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Turning, she saw Professor McGonagall. The older woman offered Hermione a look of sympathy. In a rare gesture, she opened her arms to Hermione.

Hermione rose to her feet and threw her arms around the Professor. She held onto her robes as the sobs wracked her body.

Professor McGonagall wrapped her arms around her star pupil. The two of them held onto each other, each lost in their own thoughts.

 


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. Thanks for all the reviews! I'm pleased to see so many people are enjoying this so far! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Two  
**

"Miss Granger, I suggest we move down to my office where I can make us some tea," Professor McGonagall said, helping Hermione to stand. She gave Hermione a sympathetic look.

She nodded as she sniffled, reaching up to wipe away her tears. She followed her Head of House through the hallways, not paying attention to any of the students who were currently staring at her.

When they entered the office, Professor McGonagall transfigured the chairs into a couch, moving it in front of the fire. She then motioned for Hermione to sit on the couch while she went to make the tea.

Hermione was thankful for the warmth of the fire. She hadn't realized how cold she had become in the Astronomy Tower until now. Looking around, she saw there was a quilt on the back of the couch. Grabbing it, she wrapped it around her shoulders, hoping Professor McGonagall wouldn't mind. She inhaled deeply, trying to calm her nerves. The blanket smelled like her grandmother's house.

Professor McGonagall returned a few moments later with two cups of tea. She handed Hermione a cup, and then took a seat on the couch next to her. "Hermione, since it's just the two of us, I will allow you to call me Minerva."

"Are you sure? It doesn't seem very appropriate," Hermione mumbled, a blush spreading across her cheeks.

Minerva laughed. "It's fine. Besides, I imagine with everything going on, the two of us are going to become rather close."

"Thank you," Hermione muttered softly. She sipped her tea.

The two of them were silent for a few minutes.

Minerva studied her student with a heaviness in her heart. She couldn't believe the absurdity of this law. No student should be subject to marriage!

Hermione had her life to look forward to; she shouldn't have to throw it away because of some stupid law. Minerva hoped that someone decent would petition for her. Hermione deserved at least a small chance of happiness with her future spouse.

Minerva had known at once that this was Voldemort's doing. Only he would push forward a law such as this.

Albus would have to do something to prevent anything bad from happening to Hermione. She would have to ensure that he did so. _And if he doesn't, I will, s_ he thought fiercely.

Hermione spoke up. "What will happen to me?"

Minerva took a deep breath. "I don't know, dear. Nothing bad, of course; I'll make sure of that."

Hermione gave her a small smile. "Thank you for this."

"Hermione, dear, you know I hold you in the highest respect. If you need anything, you mustn't hesitate to ask me," Minerva told her. "I mean anything."

"Thank you." Hermione finished her tea in silence. She was exhausted and there wasn't much else to say. "I think I'm going to head back to Gryffindor Tower."

"I'll walk you there," Minerva said, standing.

"Oh, you don't have to," Hermione replied, straightening her robes.

"Dear, it's past curfew now. Besides, I don't want Filch giving you any trouble."

"All right."

The two of them walked to the tower in silence. Hermione was still trying to come to terms with what happened today. She couldn't believe she would have to get married soon.

Hermione shook her head. There was nothing she could do to change it. She would simply have to hope for the best.

She hated feeling so out of control.

They stopped outside the portrait. "Thank you again, Professor," Hermione said, giving the older woman a smile.

Minerva smiled back at her. "You can come to my office at any time, just remember that."

"I will. Thank you," Hermione said. The portrait of the Fat Lady swung open, and Hermione climbed through the portrait hole. Harry and Ron were sitting on the couch waiting for her.

"Hermione!" Harry cried, jumping up to greet her. He threw his arms around her, squeezing her tightly. Hermione hugged him back tightly, tears welling in her eyes.

Ron hung back, his hands shoved in his pockets. "You okay?"

She stepped back from Harry shrugging. "Not really."

The three of them sat down in front of the fire.

"I'm so scared," she whispered. Hermione had always liked to be in control of her life, and it seemed that her control was quickly slipping.

Harry squeezed her hand. "Everything will be alright."

"How can you say that Harry? She has to get married!" Ron shouted angrily, causing a few younger students to glance at them.

Hermione let out a sigh. It appeared Ron was still in an argumentative mood.

Harry, however, wasn't going to put up with Ron's attitude. "Hermione needs us, Ron, so you can shove your temper up your arse or go to bed. Your choice."

"Fine," he grumbled. He glanced away from them and stared at the fire.

Hermione knew this was proof that Ron fancied her. Her heart ached, knowing that the two of them would never have a chance now. In all honesty, she couldn't see them working out as a couple, but it still bothered her that the choice had been taken from her.

"I'm just scared. What if I end up with Malfoy or some other Death Eater?" A sob escaped from her lips.

Harry rubbed her back, trying to calm her down. Hermione was crying fully now.

"Hermione," Ron said quietly. "You know none of us would ever let that happen. Dumbledore wouldn't either."

Harry nodded in agreement. "I'm sure Dumbledore is figuring out something right now! You'll see! Everything will be alright."

She sighed. "I hope you're right, because with everything going on, I don't need the added stress of this."

Harry grinned. "Don't worry."

Hermione smiled sadly. She loved the two of them dearly. They were her best friends, and no matter the situation they were able to cheer her up, even if only slightly.

"Can we talk about something else?" Hermione asked, prompting for the discussion to take a new turn.

"Well, I don't like Professor Slughorn," Ron grumbled. "But I hate Snape teaching Defense even more."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's Professor Snape, Ronald, and he isn't that bad at Defense. He's actually lived most of it so he's speaking from experience. We could learn a lot from him."

Harry rolled his eyes. "It's not his past, it's part of his present. Snape's a Death Eater, Hermione."

She sighed. "No, he isn't! Harry, Dumbledore trusts him, and do you think Dumbledore would allow a Death Eater to roam the halls of this school?"

"He is! Malfoy is one, too!" Harry protested.

Hermione shook her head. "Harry, we've gone over this. Malfoy is a git, but he would never be a Death Eater."

"But he disappears! I watch the Marauders Map at night, and his dot just disappears!" Harry exclaimed. He was convinced Malfoy was a Death Eater, and she wasn't going to be able to convince him otherwise.

Ron shrugged. "There's no way to know for sure. We don't have evidence yet, Harry."

Hermione didn't like the way Ron added the 'yet.' It made it seem as if the two of them were planning something. She let out a yawn. "I'm going to bed, boys."

"Night, Hermione," Ron said, giving her a tight hug.

"Night, Hermione," Harry said, hugging her as well.

She waved to them and climbed up the stairs to her bedroom. She was absolutely knackered, and just wanted to crawl under her sheets.

Lavender was up, whispering to Parvati. She glanced at Hermione when she walked in.

"Hermione, we're so sorry," Lavender said, sending her a look of pity.

Hermione grimaced. "I'd rather not talk about it." She quickly changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed. Pulling the curtains around her bed tightly, she cast a silencing charm around it. Putting the pillow over her face, she let out a scream of frustration.

That night, Hermione cried until she fell asleep.

 


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. Thank you all so much for the kind and encouraging words! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Three  
**

"Albus, what are we going to do?" Minerva asked, pacing back and forth in the Headmaster's office.

Albus's expression became serious. "I'm not sure, Minerva. Until I know what Tom is planning, I can't counter anything."

"Severus?" Minerva asked, turning to the brooding figure in the corner.

"The Dark Lord wishes for a Death Eater to marry her, believing it would lead to Potter's downfall," Severus explained after a few minutes of silence.

Albus nodded. "I suspected as much. Is there any way to counter it?"

Severus was quiet for a moment, a pensive look on his face. "I believe that Miss Granger would have to marry someone else immediately. The person would have to send her a proposal, and she would have to accept it and send her choice to the Ministry, but it would have to be timed so the vows would be said immediately afterwards, that way no one could prevent it. It would be too late for anyone to interfere."

The three of them were quiet for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts.

Minerva swallowed her pride and turned to Severus. "Would you marry her?"

Severus's eyes widened. "Me? You want me to marry her?"

Minerva nodded. "You could protect her, Severus! It makes sense."

He shook his head venomously. "There's no way I'd ever marry that girl," he sneered.

Albus let out a small chuckle. "Nice try, Minerva, but Severus is a Half-blood, and I don't believe he is eligible for a multitude of reasons."

Minerva let out a huff. "What do you suggest we do then?"

"Well, you have the right idea. We need Miss Granger to marry someone who can protect her, meaning someone from the Order who is also a Pureblood," Albus said.

"Okay, well, out of all the people who are in the Order who could protect her, the choices would be between Kingsley and Sirius," Minerva said.

Severus let out a small laugh.

"Is something funny, Severus? Because I fail to see how this is a laughing matter," Minerva hissed, sending a glare to the Potion's master.

Severus shook his head. "Oh no, I was just imagining Miss Granger's face if she knew you were discussing her entire future without her."

Minerva became silent. Severus did have a point. "Hermione will understand that we're doing this to help her. I promised I wouldn't let anything bad happen to her, and I meant it."

Severus held his hands up in defense. "Retract your talons, Minerva, I meant your cub no harm."

Minerva gave him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, Severus, it's just that this whole ordeal is so stressful. I swear I'll be grey by the time this mess is sorted out."

"Minerva, I think we should get back to the task at hand," Albus said, giving them both a smile. He knew Minerva and Severus argued, but it was harmless bickering, like that of a mother and her child.

Minerva nodded. "What do you suggest?"

"Well, I believe between Kingsley and Sirius, Sirius would be the better option. Hermione's had more interaction with him, and I believe he'd be more comfortable with the idea. Besides, if Kingsley were to marry Hermione, it would compromise his position within the Ministry and I need him there," Albus explained as he gave Fawkes a pat on the head.

Minerva nodded. "If that's what you think is best."

"It is. Sirius would be able to keep her safe."

Minerva nodded. "You're right." She knew Sirius could be a good dueler when it was needed.

"A lot of the seventh year girls and a few of the sixth years also will be affected by this law, so I think it would be prudent to have a meeting with those students. Maybe even set up a class regarding married life and parenting, and also have Poppy freshen up on her midwife knowledge," Severus added.

"Midwife knowledge?" Minerva asked, her voice going up an octave, scandalized by the suggestion.

Severus rolled his eyes at the older woman's antics. "Obviously. They'll be having sex weekly; there will be pregnant students."

"Perhaps we should look into having separate dorms for the married couples," Albus mused.

Minerva nodded. "I believe that might be prudent."

Severus let out a hiss, clutching his arm.

"Severus?" Albus asked, moving towards him.

"My mark," Severus hissed through clenched teeth. "I need to go." He started to move towards the door.

"See Poppy once you return," Albus said.

Severus nodded, disappearing from sight.

"Will he be all right?" Minerva asked worriedly.

Albus nodded. "He should be. Hopefully he'll return with some new information."

Minerva collapsed into a chair. "This is a mess."

Albus took sat down in his chair. "It is, and there is nothing I can do to prevent this from happening."

"I just wish this war was over."

Albus nodded, lost in his own thoughts. "I believe it hasn't even started yet."

Minerva groaned. "Oh, don't say that."

Albus chuckled. "Why don't you let Miss Granger know that we've picked a suitor for her, but don't tell her who it is just yet. We can't allow that information to fall into the wrong hands."

Minerva nodded, standing. Reaching into the glass bowl on Albus's desk, she pulled out a lemon drop. Popping it into her mouth, a sigh escaped her lips. "I do love these," she said, a smile on her face.

Albus chuckled. "It's why I keep them around."

Minerva blushed. "Well, I should go. Will you contact Sirius?"

Albus nodded. "I'll Floo him tonight and tell him the plan."

"I'll see you in the morning, Albus. Keep me posted on Severus."

"Good night, Minerva."

Minerva smiled before swiftly exiting the office. She made her way to her chambers, her head swimming with thoughts. She hoped to Merlin that everything would work out.

It was cruel for the Ministry to enforce this, even if Voldemort did have some influence. Surely there were some people on the Wizengamot who weren't under his control? Surely there were some who had voted against the law.

But what if there weren't? What did that say about the wizarding society?

Minerva shook her head, not quite sure that she wanted to know the answer.

 


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. Thank you all for the sweet reviews! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Four  
**

"Albus?" a voice called out through the fireplace.

"Ah, Sirius, my boy, there you are," Albus said as he moved towards the fireplace. "Would you mind if I stepped through for a moment?"

"Of course," Sirius replied. He wondered what Dumbledore wanted to talk to him about. He stepped away from the fireplace, taking a deep breath. Maybe he was finally going to get a mission?

Sirius had been cooped up inside for the past year. After the fiasco at the Ministry, Sirius's name had been cleared, but he still wasn't able to leave Headquarters. Dumbledore insisted it was just for his safety, but Sirius felt like there was something more to it. Maybe the war wasn't going the way everyone wanted. He shook his head— he'd have plenty of time to mull his thoughts over later.

There was a burst of flames as Dumbledore stepped into the room, brushing the soot from his robes. "Hello, Sirius," he said, giving the younger man a smile.

Sirius smiled back. "What can I do for you, Albus?"

"Well, Sirius, I'm afraid there is a rather serious matter we must discuss."

Sirius nodded. "Shall we adjourn to the study?"

Dumbledore nodded, gesturing for him to lead the way. The two of them made their way towards the upstairs study, where they sat down. Sirius leaned forward, resting his chin on his palms. "So, what is the matter which you must discuss with me?"

"Well, the Ministry has finally passed the Marriage Law," Dumbledore said, a frown on his face.

"Damn it," Sirius cursed. The Ministry had been pushing for the law to be passed for some time now, but he hadn't expected for it to have been passed so soon.

"As you can imagine, this is a problem for a certain Muggle-born witch we know and love."

Sirius looked up. He wracked his brain, trying to work out whom Dumbledore was referring to, and then it hit him. "Hermione," he whispered. His hands clenched into fists. "Voldemort passed the law directly after her birthday… He was waiting for her to be of age?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I believe that the whole law is a way for Riddle to try and gain some control over Harry. If Hermione were to marry a Death Eater, it would cause devastating effects. Hermione is Harry's right hand. If she were to be removed from the equation, it would have drastic effects for him and the wizard community."

"Has Professor Vector run the equations?" Sirius asked. If she had, then it was true. They couldn't afford to lose Hermione.

Dumbledore nodded. "Septima has. Her line is permanently entwined with Harry's. If she were to be removed, we would lose the War."

Sirius took a shaky breath. "We can't lose her then."

"No, we can't." Dumbledore looked at Sirius, locking eyes with him. They were no longer twinkling.

Sirius took a deep breath. Where was he going with this? He had a feeling, but…

"Will you do it?" Dumbledore asked.

Sirius's eyes widened in shock. "Me? Are you serious?"

Grey eyes met blue.

"I don't know who else to ask, Sirius. I need someone who is in the Order and able to protect her. You're the best candidate. I know you care about her, and would do what's necessary to keep her safe."

"I care about her in the sense that she's my godson's best friend. Dumbledore, I don't know if I can do what you're asking," Sirius said. His heart was racing. Albus wanted him to marry her? A girl half his age? Merlin, he was old enough to be her father!

"Sirius, please, if you don't, she'll be stuck marrying a Death Eater. Could you knowingly sentence her to that kind of life?" Dumbledore looked at him pleadingly.

Sirius sighed. He knew he didn't have a choice. "I'll petition for her."

Dumbledore nodded. "Good." He stood. "We'll have to start planning immediately. We need to do it swiftly, before Riddle finds out."

Sirius nodded. "I'll leave it in your hands."

"Very well. Minerva is talking to Hermione as we speak, explaining the situation. I'll let her know that you've agreed."

Sirius sighed. He stood as well. "Are you sure about this, Albus?"

Dumbledore nodded. "There's no other option. I'll be in touch later. We'll hold the wedding in secret, and alert the Ministry minutes before the vows are made."

"All right," Sirius said. He wasn't paying attention to anything Dumbledore was saying now. He saw Dumbledore to the kitchen, bidding him goodbye as he stepped into the fireplace.

"Sirius, the Order really appreciates this," he said, before disappearing in a burst of flames.

"The Order," Sirius grumbled. "He couldn't even say I… or we… no, it has to be the Order. All for the war."

With a sigh, he returned to the study, breaking out a bottle of Firewhisky as soon as he sat down.

He poured some of the amber liquid in a small glass, quickly knocking it back. Leaning back in the chair, he sighed.

He was going to get married. Him! Playboy extraordinaire, getting married. Who would have thought?

Merlin, it hit him like a ton of bricks. He'd have to have sex with her. Sex! He knew Hermione was now of age, but she was still so young. She had her whole life ahead of her, but she was going to lose it all. She was probably still a virgin too. Sirius's throat suddenly went dry. He took a quick sip of whiskey, hoping it would help.

They'd have to have children. Babies. Little ones. Call them what you want, they were little devils.

Sirius groaned. He wasn't really one for children, but apparently that was going to change soon.

He felt a stab of pity towards Hermione. He could only imagine what she was feeling right now. He silently vowed to himself to try and make this work out for her. He owed it to her.

She was giving up her life for him. At least that's how it was in the eyes of the Ministry. A burst of anger rushed through him. Was the Ministry so infiltrated with Voldemort's followers that the law had been passed with flying colors? Who had control? A growl escaped his lips.

He'd have to protect her. This would cause problems, but he'd do his best to protect her from the backlash. "You'll be safe, Hermione," he whispered into the empty room before knocking another glass of Firewhisky back.

 


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. I hope everyone enjoys this new update! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Five  
**

Hermione sat in the Great Hall eating breakfast. She had gone early because she just didn't want to deal with everyone staring at her. It was just easier that way.

"Hey, Hermione," Neville said, taking a seat next to her.

"Hi, Neville," she replied, turning towards him. She tried to give him a smile, but she was too exhausted to even do that.

He reached over, gently patting her hand. "How are you holding up?"

Hermione shook her head, her lower lip trembling. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. _Please don't cry, please don't cry, do not cry, Hermione!_

"Barely," she replied. "I couldn't fall asleep last night."

"It'll be okay, I'm sure Professor Dumbledore is working on a solution right now."

Hermione let out a dry laugh. "Everyone keeps telling me that it'll be okay, but how can you know for sure?"

He shrugged. "We just have to be optimistic, you know?"

Hermione grumbled something under her breath.

Looking up, she saw Ron and Harry coming towards the table.

"Hi," she said as they took their seats.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, giving his friend a sympathetic look.

"Yeah, Lav mentioned you were crying during the night," Ron said before stuffing a roll into his mouth.

_The silencing charm must have worn off during the night,_ Hermione thought sourly.

"Ronald, your lack of table etiquette is revolting." She took a deep breath. "No, I had a hard time sleeping. I kept having nightmares."

"Maybe Madam Pomfrey can give you something for that?" Harry suggested.

Hermione nodded. "Good idea, I'll go see her after class."

The three of them made their way to Potions. Internally, Hermione grumbled. She didn't really have the patience for Professor Slughorn today. Or to listen about how wonderful Harry was at Potions. She rolled her eyes. That Half-Blood Prince was trouble, even if no one else saw that yet.

"Hello, class!" Professor Slughorn said joyfully. "Today we will be brewing the Elixir to Induce Euphoria. It's a rather complicated potion, but I'm confident you'll all do fine, so off you go!"

Hermione pulled out her book, quickly flipping through the pages till she found the right one. Scanning the instructions, she bit her lip. She could do this. She quickly wrote down the ingredients she would need. _Shrivelfig, porcupine quills, castor beans, and wormwood._ She made her way towards the stores while everyone else was still getting out their books.

While she was searching the stores, she bumped into Malfoy. "Watch where you're going, Mudblood," he hissed.

Hermione didn't say anything, she simply ignored him.

He reached out and grabbed her arm. "You know, you should show a bit more respect. Especially to someone who could be your future husband," he spat viciously as his eyes flashed dangerously.

Hermione's face turned to one of horror as she tried to pull her arm from his grip. "I'd never marry you," she retorted.

Malfoy smiled smugly, pulling her close. "You may not have a choice. Besides, you should consider yourself lucky."

Hermione cringed. She cursed herself for leaving her wand at her work station. "I have dirty blood, remember?" Hermione tried to keep herself calm.

Malfoy only smirked. "Yes, you do have filthy blood, but I'm sure I could overlook that while I fucked your filthy cunt."

Hermione cringed at the brashness of his words. She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, but snapped it shut when she saw other students entering the cupboard.

Malfoy quickly released her.

Turning, she grabbed her ingredients and left quickly.

"Are you all right, Hermione? You look a bit red in the face," Ron said as she walked by his work station.

"I'm fine," she snapped.

Ron's eyes widened, but shrugged it off.

Setting her things down, she quickly set to work. _Add Shrivelfig until the potion turns turquoise._ She did that, and then waited a few minutes. Grabbing the rod, she stirred it until it turned blue.

Glancing over, she was confused as to why Harry's potion was red, but ignored it.

Turning the heat up, she waited for the potion to simmer. It would be done once it turned yellow.

She tapped her fingers on the table while she waited. Once it was yellow, she added the porcupine quills. The potion turned blue. Once more, she had to wait while it simmered.

Her eyes scanned the room. She was surprised to see Malfoy staring at her. He smirked when their eyes met, and he winked at her.

Hermione cringed in disgust. _Well at least I know who's going to try and petition for me. Merlin, I hope Professor Dumbledore figures something out soon._

Glancing at the potion, she saw that it had turned purple. "What a pretty color," Hermione said softly.

Neville leaned over and looked at her potion. "Wow, that's so nice! I wished mine looked like that," he said, sadness tinged in his voice.

Looking over, she saw his potion was a pale pink instead of the vibrant purple hers was. Hermione was honestly a bit surprised that Neville had managed to get into N.E.W.T. level Potions. He wasn't very good at it. Herbology was more his thing.

Hermione cut the seven castor beans up before dropping them into her potion.

Once more, the potion needed to simmer.

_This is so time consuming. We've literally spent an hour waiting for the potion to simmer,_ she thought to herself.

Ron and Harry were whispering. _Over that stupid book, no doubt._

Her potion was now brown, so she added a bit more Shrivelfig, making the potion turn pink.

Once more, it had to simmer.

Professor Slughorn was making his way around the room, checking on everyone's progress.

One thing she did like about Slughorn was that he wasn't biased towards the Slytherins. _He's only biased towards famous people,_ she thought sourly.

Hermione silently groaned. She was in such a bitter mood today, but she had every reason to be.

Her potion was now orange. Adding the wormwood, she waited for the potion to turn yellow.

"Perfect," she said with a smile.

Professor Slughorn came over. "Well done, Miss Granger, five points to Gryffindor!"

Hermione beamed. Her happiness was fleeting though.

Slughorn approached Harry. "What's that I smell? Mmmmm… you've added just a sprig of peppermint, haven't you? Unorthodox, but what a stroke of inspiration, Harry! Of course, that would tend to counterbalance the occasional side effects of excessive singing and nose-tweaking... I really don't know where you get these brain waves from, my boy... twenty points to Gryffindor!" He clapped Harry on the back.

Hermione was fuming. Time and time again, Harry had to steal her limelight. She was sick of it!

Harry sent her an apologetic look, but she ignored it. Bottling her potion, she quickly handed it in. Grabbing her things, she rushed out of the class and down the corridor.

"Hermione?" Colin Creevey said as he approached her.

"Hi, Colin," Hermione replied, wondering what he wanted.

"I have a note from Professor Dumbledore for you."

"Oh, thank you," Hermione said, taking the note. By now, Ron and Harry had caught up with her. They were apologizing, but she ignored them, quickly reading the note.

"What's that?" Ron asked, noticing the piece of parchment in her hands.

"I have to go and see Professor Dumbledore," Hermione stated. Maybe he had found a solution? She took off without waiting for their reaction.

 


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. Sorry it's been so long since I've updated! I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Six  
**

Hermione made her way towards Professor Dumbledore's office, her heart pounding wildly with every step she took. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was walking towards her doom… that every step would be her last.

"Oh stop being dramatic," Hermione furiously whispered to herself. She was just going to talk to the Headmaster. She needed to think more positively. Approaching the statue, she frowned when she realized she didn't know the password. Recalling that Harry mentioned Professor Dumbledore liked sweets, she started rattling off a few.

"Acid pops….Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans….Sugar Quills…"

The gargoyle leapt aside.

"Sugar quills! That's it," she said, mentally storing the information.

She slowly climbed the steps, afraid of what would meet her. She paused outside the door, taking a deep breath. _I can do this. I'm Hermione Granger, the smartest witch of this age. I can do this. I'm a strong, independent witch; I can, and will, do this._

Sighing, she knocked on the door. It swung open, revealing the Headmaster who was sitting behind his desk.

"You wanted to see me, sir," she said, slowly stepping forward.

"Take a seat, Miss Granger. There is much we must discuss."

She nodded, sitting down in the large chair in front of his desk. Her heart was hammering loudly in her chest, showing just how nervous she was feeling.

Professor Dumbledore smiled at her, and she tried to smile back. He was nice, but he was more a mentor for Harry, not her. She still felt rather awkward.

"Now, I know this is rather uncomfortable, but there is no way to get around the Marriage Law, Miss Granger," he explained, a frown on his face.

Hermione sighed. "I figured as much, Headmaster."

"Have you accepted it?"

She looked up and met his blue eyes. "Accepted it? I suppose, yes. I don't like it, and don't think I'll ever like it, but I won't give up my magic… I can't. So if marrying some Pureblood is what I have to do, then so be it."

He smiled at her. "Spoken like a true warrior."

Hermione smiled half-heartedly.

"Have you received any letters yet?" he probed.

Hermione bit her lip. "I was… erm, accosted by Malfoy earlier today. He seemed rather insistent we'd marry. And he was rather vulgar about it."

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed. "I see. Well, I'll do my best to make sure that doesn't happen again, Miss Granger. If he does approach you, let me or another Professor know immediately."

"Yes, sir," she said, rather embarrassed. She felt like a child who couldn't take care of herself.

"Now, you may be pleased to know that I have found a potential suitor for you, Miss Granger. He's older than you, but I am completely confident he'll be able to protect you. He's the best option."

Hermione's eyes flicked upwards. "Really? Is it someone I know?"

Dumbledore gave a short nod. "Yes."

She scooted forward in the chair a little bit. "Who is it?" She was eager to know who Professor Dumbledore thought would be a good match for her.

"Now, Miss Granger, please remember to keep an open mind. He is older than you, by quite a few years, but I think he is what is best. So please, do not jump to conclusions."

Hermione was now confused. Did he think she would react badly? He must if he thought he needed to caution her not to. Who on Earth could he have chosen? "Please, sir, I want to know."

"Very well," Professor Dumbledore said. "I will tell him to come in, and leave you two alone for a moment."

Hermione nodded. He was here? Her heart began to race. She was going to meet the person she was supposed to marry in mere seconds. Feeling panicked, her eyes looked around. There wasn't any way to escape except for the door, which Dumbledore had just exited.

Oh, Merlin!

The door creaked open. He was in the room with her, right behind her.

She wanted to turn around and see him, but a part of her was just too afraid. What if she didn't like him? What if it was…

Hermione sighed. It was too late for these sorts of doubts. She would be marrying this man, whether she wanted to or not. She just had to hope for the best. Hermione was about to turn around when she heard him speak.

"Hermione?" the distinct male voice asked.

She froze. She knew that voice. She had heard that voice before… recently. She turned around, although she already knew who it was. "Sirius?" she asked, turning.

He looked better than when she had last seen him. His face was cleanly shaven, although his mustache was still there. Sirius's wavy brown hair was pulled back, making him look a bit younger than he actually was. He was dressed in Muggle clothing, some black slacks and a light blue shirt. Over the shirt he wore a black leather jacket.

He was looking at her expectantly. Hermione looked confused.

_Oh, he must have asked me something while I was busy ogling him… get a grip Hermione!_

"It's nice to see you," she whispered, playing with her fingers.

"It's nice to see you too, although I wish it was under different circumstances, kitten."

She smiled softly at the use of her old nickname. He had taken to calling her that the summer before their fifth year, and it had just stuck. At the time, it had irritated her, but now that she was older, she found that she rather liked it.

But then reality crashed down around her, and she remembered why he was here.

Sirius crossed the room. "Hermione, everything will be okay."

Her eyes flicked up to meet his. "I don't really see how that's possible."

"Well, it is. You will just have to be a bit more positive about things." He grabbed her chin and gently tipped it upward. With his other hand, he wiped her tears away. "Don't cry, kitten, please don't."

"I'm sorry," Hermione said, shaking out of his grasp. "I've just been a bloody mess lately."

Sirius nodded. "What you need, love, is a day off. Let's see if Professor Dumbledore will let me take you to Hogsmeade for dinner."

"Oh, Sirius, you don't have to. I appreciate the thought, though."

"Nonsense, we're going. I insist." Sirius held his hand out for her.

With a sigh, she placed her hand in his.

His large hand closed around hers, holding it tightly. Hermione shivered at the warmth.

"Let's go ask Dumbledore for permission," Sirius said, leading her towards the exit.

Hermione followed behind him, focusing on the fact that Sirius had yet to let go of her hand.

 


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. Thank you for all the sweet reviews! They certainly put a smile on my face! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Seven  
**

Professor Dumbledore had been pleased when Sirius and Hermione had asked if they could spend some time together. He had given them permission to leave the grounds as long as Hermione was back before curfew.

Still holding hands, the two of them made their way towards the gate.

"You don't have to hold my hand," she whispered, heat flooding her face. She felt like she was a child, one that couldn't walk on her own.

"Maybe I want to," Sirius replied, looking at her.

Hermione blushed even more.

"But you're right. This is supposed to be a secret," Sirius said, releasing her hand.

At once, Hermione missed the contact. But he was right; hopefully no one would notice them.

"We'll go to the Hog's Head. Aberforth will be expecting us."

"Aberforth? Who's that?" she asked, looking at Sirius.

"Dumbledore's brother."

Hermione glanced at her feet. "I didn't know he had a brother."

"Not many do," Sirius replied. "I'm sure Harry doesn't know, either."

They made their way to the Hog's Head. When they entered Sirius guided her to a table, pulling the chair out for her.

"Thanks," she mumbled, sitting down. Vaguely, she remembered that Sirius had always been a gentleman.

Sirius sat across from her.

The two of them stared at each other for a few minutes, neither speaking. Hermione felt herself growing more and more uncomfortable with the silence. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, before she released a small cough. "So… Sirius…"

He smirked at her. "Yes, Hermione?"

At that moment, an older looking wizard came shuffling over. He had long, wiry grey hair and a long beard. He wore spectacles. Behind the dirty lenses, Hermione saw the eyes were a piercing, brilliant blue. Eyes that were very similar to his brother's, but instead of being filled with warmth and kindness, they were filled with a hardness. He looked very grumpy.

"Black, Granger," he said, nodding to them both. "What can I get for you?" he asked gruffly.

"Two Butterbeers and two shepherd's pies," Sirius replied, smiling at Aberforth.

The barman grunted before leaving the two of them alone once more.

"I hope that's okay," Sirius said, turning his attention back to Hermione, who was fidgeting in her seat.

"It's fine. I love shepherd's pie," she said softly. "Is he always like that?" she asked, motioning to Aberforth. She giggled as she saw a goat run behind the counter.

Sirius nodded. "He's had a rough life… Dumbledore has too. They just show it differently."

Hermione bit her lip. "I suppose every person deals with their grief differently."

"That they do," he replied.

Aberforth came over, placing their food and drinks on the table. "Enjoy," he said brusquely.

"So," she said, picking up her fork and poking at her food.

"Hermione, there's no need to act so shy," Sirius said, reaching across the table to grab her hand. "I know this isn't ideal, but we'll make it work." He laughed dryly. "If you accept my proposal that is."

She nodded. "How could I not? I don't really have a choice in all of this."

"There's always a choice, Hermione."

She gave him a quizzical look.

He took a long sip of his Butterbeer before looking at her. "You may not want to get married, but you have to. You can choose to be happy or you can choose to be miserable, it's up to you. Honestly, I'll do my best to keep you happy, Hermione, and safe. Anything you want, it's yours."

She was quiet for a moment, taking in his words. As much as she didn't want to believe them, they were true. She could mope about things and make herself miserable, not to mention everyone else around her. Or Hermione could take a more positive attitude and try and be happy.

By the look on Sirius's face, he was being sincere. He would do his best to make her happy, and vaguely she wondered if it would be possible.

Could she truly be happy with Sirius? He was older, but really, what was a number? Besides, it was different in the wizarding world, wasn't it? They would live much longer than Muggles.

And Sirius was handsome, so she supposed she could do a lot worse. In comparison to Malfoy, he was a good choice.

Maybe she could learn to be happy?

"Hermione?"

Her gaze snapped up when she realized she had been lost in her thoughts. "Oh, sorry," she said, blushing. "I was just thinking."

Sirius grinned. "You're always thinking. Tell me, Hermione, does your big, beautiful brain ever take a break?"

She blushed. Was he flirting with her? "Not really," she answered.

He smiled.

She was quiet for a moment. "Sirius, thank you. I really appreciate you doing this for me."

"There's no need to thank me, Hermione. You forget that I, too, am affected by the law. I could have been paired with anyone… so, honestly, I'm lucky."

"Lucky?" she asked, a bit confused. How could he possibly consider himself lucky?

"Yes. You're a beautiful girl, Hermione, more beautiful than you could possibly realize. You're smart, kind… you've got the biggest heart out of anyone I know."

"Stop," she said, feeling her cheeks grow hot.

"And you're adorable when you blush," he added.

She smiled at him before an easy silence fell between them. This one wasn't as awkward as the silence earlier. This one was comfortable. Hermione finished eating her dinner, glad to be out of the castle for the night. Sometimes she grew tired of the elves' cooking.

After the two of them finished eating, Sirius paid the bill. Coming back over to Hermione, he helped her up. "Ready to head back?"

"Not really," she answered, giving a small laugh. "I feel like so much is going to change, and I can't do anything about it."

"You'll be okay," he said, squeezing her shoulder.

Hermione smiled at him. "Thank you."

The two of them began the long trek back to the castle.

Hermione stared at Sirius as they walked. She felt a bit better about marrying him after spending some time around him. They didn't really talk about much, but she knew what his intentions were, and that's what really mattered.

He was kind, and she knew he'd treat her well. She'd be able to finish school, and then worry about everything else afterwards.

And he was handsome. He had a rough look to him, but he had a warm heart. And his eyes… they were grey, sparkling like the ocean at night. And when he smiled, Hermione could almost swoon.

She had always pushed down those thoughts because it had always just been a small crush. She had crushed on Remus as well at the time, so she thought nothing of it. She was just a silly little girl; there was no need to read into anything deeply. But if Sirius was to be her husband, then she might as well appreciate the finer aspects of him.

Once they made it onto the grounds, Hermione felt herself grow bolder. Taking a deep breath, she reached out and brushed her hand against his.

Sirius smiled, taking the hint, and firmly grasped her hand. He glanced at her, and she smiled nervously at him.

"Things will work out, Hermione, don't worry," he said, bringing her hand up so he could place a kiss on it.

She shivered at the sensation. "Thank you, Sirius, for being so understanding and supportive. I'm sure you never wanted to get married, and now you're being forced to… you're being a good sport about it."

He laughed. "No, I never thought I'd get married or have children, but now that the idea has presented itself, I find it is more appealing than before."

The two of them entered the castle. "I'll walk you to Gryffindor Tower," he said, still holding her hand.

"Won't someone notice us?" she asked, looking around nervously. She didn't want to get caught.

"No, I was a Marauder, sweetheart; I know how to sneak around."

"Even without the cloak?"

He sent her a sly grin. "What do you think I did before James showed us that thing?"

She returned his smile.

"But now to the nitty gritty, we'll plan to be wed on Saturday, if that's all right?"

Hermione stopped walking. "Saturday? But, Sirius, that's so soon." She counted on her fingers. "That's only two days away."

"Two days too long," he murmured. Lifting his hands, he gently cupped Hermione's face and tilted it upwards. "Every day that goes by is another opportunity for Malfoy to swoop in, or worse. I won't let anything happen to you, Hermione."

She felt her heart race and the panic set in. She wanted to protest, to cry, throw a fit… but she did none of those things. She knew what he was saying was logical, and she couldn't fight it. So she simply nodded.

"Professor McGonagall will take you out to find something nice to wear. I'll send you the proposal Saturday morning and you'll accept, sending it off to the Ministry. By the time they get it, we'll already be married."

"Don't we need someone from the Ministry to reside over the ceremony?" she asked.

He nodded. "Dumbledore's already found someone. Seems the old man has it all figured out."

Hermione was quiet. Looking up, she noticed they were at the portrait. The Fat Lady was lying on the frame, half asleep.

"Thank you," she said again, looking up at him. Suddenly, she felt nervous. "I guess that was our first date."

He smiled. "It was, hopefully it wasn't too bad."

"No, I had a nice time," she said, smiling at him. Meeting his gaze, she found his grey eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, before Sirius swiftly bent down and brushed his lips against hers.

Startled, Hermione simply gaped at him.

"Goodnight, Hermione," he said, sending her a wink before turning and heading towards Dumbledore's office.

Shaking her head to herself, she turned to enter the Common Room. She really needed some sleep.

 


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. Thanks for the awesome reviews! I love getting those notifications in my inbox! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Eight  
**

The next morning, Hermione groggily opened her eyes. There was light pouring in the dorm room **,** more than there should have been.

Sitting up, she looked around. No one else was there.

"Where is my wand?" she muttered, looking in her bed. Finding it on her nightstand under a book, she picked it up. Casting a tempus charm, Hermione shrieked when she saw class was starting in less than fifteen minutes.

She had never been late for class before and definitely didn't plan on starting now. She jumped out of bed, quickly grabbing her robes. She slid them on, not bothering to worry about their crumpled state. Grabbing her socks, she quickly pulled them on along with her shoes.

She ran her fingers through her hair quickly, desperately hoping to tame her wild curls. Unfortunately, it wasn't much use. She didn't have time to fix it though, so grabbing her school bag, she literally ran out of the door.

The Common Room was empty, meaning everyone was probably already in class. Running as fast as her feet could carry her, she ran towards the Charms classroom.

_Please don't let me be late, please don't let me be late;_ she chanted to herself, hoping it'd make her go faster.

She skidded to a stop in front of the door, slipping inside mere seconds before class was about to begin.

Everyone stared at her wide-eyed. Hermione couldn't tell if it was because she, the golden girl, was almost late for class or if it was because of her awful hair.

Ignoring their glares, she quickly made it to her seat, sitting next to Harry and Ron.

"Overslept, huh?" Ron said, grinning at her.

She rolled her eyes, "Apparently."

"Here, we brought you some toast," Harry said, sliding a napkin over to her. When he noticed Hermione wasn't at breakfast, he figured he'd grab something for her. She was bound to be hungry.

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Harry."

Unwrapping the bread, she quickly took a bite. It was still warm.

"So, what did Dumbledore want last night?" Ron asked, watching her eat.

Hermione froze before quickly shaking her head. "Not now, we'll talk later."

At that moment, Professor Flitwick appeared.

* * *

After class, the trio made their way back towards the Common Room. Halfway there, though, Hermione stopped. "Why don't we go to the Room of Requirement instead? No one will overhear us there."

Harry and Ron both nodded, and the group changed direction.

Once inside, Hermione sat down on the couch, hugging the cushion to her chest.

"Well?" Harry asked, sitting down on the couch opposite her. He could tell she needed some space.

"Everything is happening so fast," she murmured, tucking a curl behind her ear.

The boys looked at her, waiting for her to explain. Taking a deep breath, she looked at them. "I'm getting married on Saturday."

Ron turned red in the face almost immediately.

"What?" he ground out through gritted teeth.

"Hermione, today's Thursday. You can't possibly mean you're getting married this Saturday."

She nodded. "I am… I, well, it's soon, but we all agreed it's for the best. Even Professor Dumbledore thinks so."

"Who? Is it someone we know?" Harry asked.

Hermione slowly nodded.

"Is it someone that goes to school with us?"

Biting her lip, she shook her head.

Ron looked surprised. "You're marrying an older bloke?"

"Yes," she said softly.

"Like, a few years older… or like old man old?" Harry asked, trying to stifle a laugh.

An image of Hugh Hefner popped into her mind, making Hermione laugh. "He's old, but not that old, Harry."

The two of them laughed, knowing what the other was thinking.

"Well, who is it?" Ron pressed.

She knew there was no getting around it; they would find out one way or another. "It's Sirius."

Harry froze. "Sirius, as in my godfather Sirius?"

Slowly, she nodded. "Now, Harry, don't freak out, but it's really for the best."

"For the best? How could marrying someone old enough to be your father be for the best?" Ron snapped at her.

"Because we needed someone in the Order who could protect me. In case you haven't noticed, I've got a rather large target on my head because I'm Harry's best friend, so a little support would be nice," she snapped at them. "I'd rather marry Sirius than Malfoy or some other Death Eater."

The two boys were quiet for a moment, letting it all sink in.

"Yeah, I suppose Sirius would be the best choice… it's just so—"

"Weird," she finished for him. "Yeah, it was weird. But we went for dinner last night, and he was actually really nice about the whole thing. I'm hoping it won't be too bad."

Ron was sitting there, staring at his hands.

"Ron?" Hermione asked gently, hoping he was all right.

He nodded. "Guess I'm just finally realizing you're getting married…" he trailed off.

Reaching out, she firmly grasped his hand. "I know… it's surreal, trust me, I know. But I could really use my best friend right about now," she gently reminded him.

Ron had a tendency to let his anger get the best of him. She hoped that this wouldn't be the case. Recalling how awful their friendship had been in their fourth year, Hermione desperately hoped that something like that would never happen again. Running back and forth between the two was bloody awful.

Ron squeezed her hand. "I'm here for you, Hermione. And although none of us like it, we'll get through this together."

"That's right, Hermione," Harry said, putting his hand on top of theirs.

Hermione felt her eyes start to water. "Oh, boys," she said, smiling at them both. "Thank you for being so understanding."

"At least it's Sirius, right? I mean, he's a really nice guy, and I'm sure he'll treat you really well," Harry said.

Ron nodded. "Maybe he'll help you be more fun."

Hermione laughed. "Yes, Sirius is loads of fun while I'm none… I get the picture, Ron."

He held his hands up in mock surrender. "Just saying, 'Mione, you're a huge fan of the rules."

"Because rules are there for a reason," she explained, standing up. "But it's time for lunch, and I don't know about you two, but I'm starving."

"Maybe if you weren't out late last night, gallivanting with your future fiancé, you wouldn't be so hungry," Harry said, a teasing lilt in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled.

The three of them made their way towards the Great Hall. "Remember, not a word to anyone. Not even Ginny," she reminded them. This needed to stay a secret.

The three of them sat in their usual places.

"Feeling any better, Hermione?" Ginny asked, giving her a sympathetic smile.

Hermione frowned at the look of pity. She was getting rather sick of those looks. Yes, something unfortunate was happening, but it was out of her control. Making her feel bad wouldn't make things any better, _not that anyone cared to realize that_.

She simply smiled at Ginny, nodding. "Things will work themselves out, I'm sure." She wanted to sound confident, but not too confident.

"Well, if you need to talk, I'm here for you. I know what it's like to be surrounded by boys, and sometimes, you just need a girl to talk to."

"Oi!" Ron said, glaring at his sister.

She smirked at him. "Like I said, let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you, Ginny," Hermione said, more sincerely this time. She was lucky to have her friends looking out for her.

Turning to her food, Hermione just pushed it around her plate. She really wasn't that hungry with everything going on. However, she needed to eat, or else Harry and Ron would be on her case. She took a couple bites, her thoughts drifting.

What about her parents? Was she supposed to tell them? A part of her wanted to. They were her parents… they deserved to be there on her "special" day. Daddy's little girl would only marry once and she wanted to share that happiness with her parents. They'd be so happy for her, although she wasn't sure if they would approve of Sirius.

Even without the age difference, Sirius wasn't the type of guy they'd approve of. He was more… dangerous? He wore leather jackets and drove a magical motorcycle. He had even gone to jail! He'd throw himself headfirst into trouble, not really thinking through any of the consequences. And he was a womanizer… a huge womanizer.

But he was loyal. Sirius had proven his loyalty time and time again. Even after all these years, he still cared for James and Lily.

And Hermione respected him. After the Ministry had cleared his name, Sirius did his best to stay out of the limelight. He humbly accepted the Ministry's apology and let bygones be bygones.

But another part of Hermione didn't want her parents at the wedding. She felt that they might not understand.

When Hermione found out that she was a witch, her parents were happy for her, but it caused a rift in their relationship. She had assumed they felt a bit left out. She knew things that they didn't, and she knew that worried them. All those parenting books had never prepared them for this.

She was sure they'd put up a huge fight about her getting married, even if she explained the situation twenty times over to them. Her parents were stubborn, just like she was. It was actually a family trait.

"Earth to Hermione," Harry said, waving his hand in front of her face.

"Hmmm?" she responded dreamily. She hadn't really been paying much attention to her surroundings.

"It's time for Transfiguration," Ron said, stuffing a cookie into his mouth.

Hermione nodded, grabbing her things before following her friends to Transfiguration.

Maybe afterwards she could talk to Professor McGonagall about the wedding.

 


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. I hope everyone enjoys the update! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Nine  
**

Hermione lay in bed, a frown etched upon her face. She knew she should probably get up, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Any moment now, the rest of her housemates would be getting up and she just didn't want to deal with any of them.

Closing her eyes, she softly began to recite the three Rs of Apparition. She needed to do something to keep her from crying out in frustration.

Sure enough, moments later Hermione heard the rest of the beds creak. The others were awake.

"Pst, Parvati?" Lavender's high pitched voice called out. Even when the girl was trying to be quiet, it still sounded like she was shouting in your ear. Hermione trembled, ignoring the nails on a chalkboard like sound.

"Yes, Lav?" Parvati replied, her bed squeaking as she sat up.

"Do you think Hermione's awake?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. Even if she was sleeping, their conversation would have woken her up. She was tempted to snap at them, but simply kept her eyes closed, glad that she had drawn her curtains the night before.

"I'm not sure, but we should probably let her sleep, poor thing," Parvati replied, her voice filled with sympathy.

Hermione's hands curled into fists. Didn't they realize that in a few months, they would be subjected to the same thing? _Stupid girls._

"What if she has to marry a Slytherin?" Lavender asked, the disdain evident in her voice.

"I'd rather die," Parvati said dramatically.

"You know, she doesn't really have a choice," Fay snapped at the two gossiping girls. "And why don't you leave her be? She has enough going on without dealing with your vapid gossiping."

"There's no need to be so rude, Fay," Lavender said coolly.

"We were only speculating," Parvati added.

"Well do it elsewhere!" the usually quiet girl snapped.

Two beds squeaked, and it sounded like Lavender and Parvati were leaving. Hermione could have sworn she heard the word "bitch" muttered under Lavender's breath.

She really didn't understand how two girls could be so rude and shallow. Did they seriously have nothing better to do than bother everyone else and spread lies?

"They're gone, Hermione," Fay said.

Hermione sat up, pulling back the curtains. "How did you know I was awake?"

Fay smiled. "I could practically feel your frustration with those two."

"Yes, well, they're idiots."

Fay nodded in agreement. "Well, I'm going down to breakfast, but I just wanted to let you know that if you need anything, you can talk to me… I got my letter yesterday."

Hermione's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Fay."

She shrugged. "It's all right. My older brother's friend pulled some strings so we'll be getting married. He's rather nice, though, so I'm not too worried."

"That's good."

"Don't worry though; I'm sure whomever you marry will treat you rather nice too, Hermione."

"Mmmm," she replied, losing herself in her thoughts. "I'm actually going to stay in bed for a bit, if that's all right."

"Of course," Fay said, standing up. "I'll see you later, Hermione."

"Bye," she mumbled in reply before lying back down in bed. She didn't want to get up, and she certainly didn't want to think about her impending marriage.

She wished she had more time… not that it would really change anything. But it all felt so sudden… so forced.

_Because it is,_ she bitterly reminded herself.

A small part of Hermione was tempted to just run. If she ran, she wouldn't have to marry or go to Azkaban… she would just be free.

But she couldn't. She couldn't just leave Harry when he needed her most. She couldn't turn her back on all the people counting on her. And she certainly couldn't leave Sirius in a mess. Because he, too, was being affected by the law.

And she was sure his ego would take a serious blow if she ran off right before their wedding.

Hermione rolled over, burying her face into her pillow. A frustrated groan escaped her lips, and in a moment of anger, she punched the mattress.

Why her? It just wasn't fair. Of course, Hermione was well aware that life wasn't ever fair.

She knew she was lucky that Sirius had agreed to marry her. While there were a million different reasons she'd never have picked him under normal circumstances, she could think of millions of reasons she _should_ pick him under this circumstance.

Sirius often joked around with others, but Hermione knew when push came to shove, he'd stand up for her. At the Ministry Battle, he had dueled both Bellatrix and Lucius with a fierceness she had never seen before. A fierceness that demonstrated his loyalty to Harry.

Hermione wondered if Sirius would ever show that loyalty to her. She imagined that he would, and the thought of him fighting for her sent butterflies through her stomach.

Sirius was a nice man, and she was sure in time that maybe things would be different… maybe they wouldn't be so forced? She was sure she could probably grow to love him, assuming he treated her well.

But she couldn't simply stay in bed all morning, despite how much she wanted to. She did have a life that she needed to get to. So with a groan, she rolled out of bed and quickly showered. By the time she finished getting ready, she managed to get to the Great Hall to catch the last ten minutes of breakfast.

"Hey, Hermione, you slept late," Ron commented, a few crumbs of toast scattered all over his face.

She nodded. "I just needed some time to myself… to think things over, you know?"

Ron and Harry nodded.

"Are you going to classes today?" Harry asked, looking at her carefully.

She nodded. "Yes, I'm going to Charms and then going to Professor McGonagall's office. I think we will be going dress shopping."

"Oh, dress shopping?" Ginny squealed a bit too loudly. The redhead scooted closer, smiling mischievously. "Do you think I could come, Hermione?"

Hermione bit her lip, but nodded. "I suppose so, but Ginny, you can't tell anyone. It has to deal with you know what."

Ginny's brown eyes widened, and she quickly nodded. "My lips are sealed."

"Great," Hermione said, smiling. "Why don't you grab Luna too? Might as well have the two of you be my bridesmaids."

Ginny threw her arms around Hermione. "Thank you, thank you!"

Hermione giggled, patting Ginny on the back. "It's really not that big of a deal."

"Not a big deal?" she asked, disbelief in her voice. "Hermione," she said, pushing Ron aside so she could scoot closer. "You're getting married, and that is a very big deal."

"Yeah?"

"Of course it is! I'll meet you at McGonagall's with Luna, and you can fill us in."

Hermione nodded, leaning close. "It's sort of Order business, which is why I haven't been able to really tell you yet. But I promise you'll find out later."

Ginny wrapped her arms around Hermione, giving her a tight squeeze. "I love you, Hermione, and I'll always be here for you."

"Thanks, Gin," she replied, smiling at her. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, and desperately wished they'd go away. Hermione was sick of crying all the time.

"Come on, time for Charms," Harry said, standing and slinging his book bag over his shoulders.

The trio bid goodbye to Ginny before making their way towards the second floor Charms classroom. Walking inside, the three of them took their usual seats.

Charms used to be Hermione's favourite class. It was so interesting, learning all the different spells and charms. It was very similar to Transfiguration, but more relaxed. There was more room for personal development and creation in this class, something Hermione wasn't really used to. Charms provided her a chance to explore herself in ways that other classes didn't. Plus, Professor Flitwick was adorable and a very good teacher in her opinion. However, once she started to take Arithmancy, it quickly took the spot of her favourite subject.

But Charms was a close second, so she eagerly sat there in her chair, waiting for the lesson to begin.

A small squeak drew everyone's attention to the front of the classroom. Professor Flitwick was staring at them all, a smile on his face. "Hello everyone! Today we're going to continue working on the Water-Making spell, also known as the Aguamenti spell. But as we practice, there is one important thing to remember: the charm can be anything from a simple jet of water to a wave, all depending on the caster's concentration and intentions. So please, be careful and courteous to your neighbors!"

Ron leaned over, whispering, "What do you think would happen if we accidentally washed Malfoy away in a tidal wave?"

Harry let out a laugh and Hermione bit her lip, trying to keep from giggling. "Let's see if you can do it first, Ronald," Hermione replied, a teasing hint to her voice.

"Of course I can do it!" Ron protested. Standing up, he stood a few feet away from the two of them. He waved his wand, calling out, " _Aguamenti_!"

A couple drops of water fell from the tip of his wand.

Hermione and Harry burst into laughter.

"Nice try, Mr. Weasley," Professor Flitwick commented, walking by. "Just try practicing the wand movements first, though, to get the hang of that."

"Nice tidal wave, Ron," Harry said, a wild grin on his face.

"Shut it," he snapped at his two best friends, his face quickly turning red.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione went over to help him correct his wand movements, much like she did in their first year.

_Maybe not much has changed,_ she thought to herself, smiling sadly despite knowing that so much had.

 


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. Seriously, thank you all for your continued support! Your enthusiasm really motivates me to write, so thank you! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this stor

**Chapter Ten  
**

"Are you ready, Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall asked, peering down at her favourite student.

Hermione nodded. "Are you sure it's okay we're doing this? I don't want us to be breaking any rules."

Minerva smiled at that. "You're with the Deputy Headmistress, and your Head of House. Stop fretting. The Headmaster has already approved our little excursion."

Hermione nodded nervously.

"Hermione!" Ginny said, coming over with a huge smile on her face. She tightened her cloak around herself, ready to go.

Luna stood next to her, that familiar dazed expression on her face. "Hello, Hermione," she said airily. "Don't be so nervous."

"Nervous? How could you tell I was nervous?"

"Your aura is so tense. It isn't hard to tell." Luna simply smiled at her.

"Well, Misses Lovegood and Weasley, while out you must remember that this is to remain a secret. The name of Miss Granger's fiancé must not slip out, or there will be dire consequences."

"Yes, Professor, we understand. Now come on! Let's go shopping!" Ginny said excitedly, tugging on Hermione's arm.

She couldn't help but smile as Ginny led her along the path towards Hogsmeade, Luna and Professor McGonagall trailing behind them.

"So," Ginny said, peering over her shoulder. "Are you going to tell me who you're marrying?"

"Later," Hermione whispered, her face turning pink.

"Well, can I ask questions? You don't have to give me a name." Ginny looked at her pleadingly.

"Fine," Hermione grumbled.

"Is he handsome?" Ginny asked.

Flushing, Hermione glanced at Professor McGonagall.

The older woman waved her hand. "Since we're off grounds, I'm your colleague, Hermione. Say what you wish."

Hermione smiled at her. "Thank you for doing this," Hermione squeezed Minerva's hand.

"Anything to make the process easier for you."

Hermione felt as if she could cry at that moment. She had so many people that loved her and cared for her, despite what was going on. She was really lucky.

"Well?" Ginny pressed. "Come on! Tell me, is your future hubby handsome?"

Hermione blushed, but nodded.

Ginny squealed. "Do I know him?"

Slowly, Hermione nodded again.

"Does he go to Hogwarts?" Ginny asked once more, her mind racing with all the possibilities of who it could be.

"Of course not," Luna interjected airily. "He's much older."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "Luna! How did you know that?"

"It's true?" Ginny squeaked. "You're marrying someone older?"

She didn't pay any attention to Ginny. "Luna?" she pressed. "How did you know?"

The blonde shrugged. "I just did. You'll have a rocky marriage at first, but it'll end with love."

"Miss Lovegood, I think once we return to the castle, you and I should have a talk with the Headmaster."

Luna nodded, smiling. "I've known I was a seer for quite some time."

"I can see that," Professor McGonagall said. "But let's go inside. The dress shop is just across the street."

The four of them shuffled into the small shop. A plump older witch came over, looking at them each. She frowned when she saw their Hogwarts robes. "This law is…" she shook her head, lost for words. "Which one of you is the one getting married?"

"Me," Hermione said, stepping forward.

"All right, well, my name is Karina, although I wish we were meeting under different circumstances."

"Me too," Hermione whispered, shaking the witch's hand.

"Any sort of dress you want in particular?"

Hermione shrugged. "Nothing too expensive. I don't have much money."

"No, price is no object. Your fiancé gave me his account number, so you may purchase whatever you wish," Professor McGonagall said.

Hermione smiled softly at that. "That was sweet of him."

"Well, it seems you snatched a semi-sweet one," Karina commented, taking her towards the back. "Let's try some dresses on."

Hermione tried on three dresses, each one as ghastly as the next. Feeling dejected, she sat down. "I'll never find the right dress."

"Yes you will!" Luna said happily. "It'll be perfect, too."

Hermione groaned. "You're not helping, Luna."

Ginny took her friend's hand. "Come on, we'll find you the right one."

"Oh!" Karina cried, running towards the back. "I have just the dress! It arrived this morning, straight from France. Beautiful too!"

Hermione headed back into the dressing room to try it on. The moment Karina zipped the dress up in the back, Hermione just knew. "This is it," she whispered before even glancing at her reflection. The dress felt like heaven on her body, fitting her perfectly.

"You look beautiful, dearie," Karina said, a sad smile on her face. "Go on, look," she urged Hermione to turn around.

Hermione turned slowly, gasping when she saw what she looked like. It was a strapless, beaded lace ball gown that had a sweetheart neckline. The tiered skirt flowed down her body, accentuating her waist perfectly.

"This is it," she repeated once the awe wore off.

She left the dressing room, earning gasps from the other women.

"Hermione, you look beautiful!" Minerva cried, dabbing at her eyes with an old handkerchief.

"Look at all that flair!" Ginny gushed. "Hermione, the skirt is perfect. It gives the dress dimension."

"You look like you stepped out of a fairy tale," Luna commented airily.

"I feel like a princess," she said, blushing.

"Here's a veil," Karina said, reappearing with a bundle of tulle. She fixed it into Hermione's hair, letting it cascade down her back.

Hermione looked at her appearance before bursting into tears.

"Don't cry, Hermione!" Ginny cried, rushing towards her best friend.

"It's just so hard! I'm so happy and sad at the same time! I'm so confused."

Luna joined the two of them, hugging as well. The three of them stood there for a moment, each of them crying and holding each other.

Eventually they broke apart. "Could you wrap this up for me, Karina? The veil too."

"Sure thing, Miss Granger," Karina said, leading her towards the back.

As Karina packaged the gown, Hermione picked out some shoes, and with the help of Ginny, some lingerie to wear under the gown.

Ginny and Luna then picked out their bridesmaid dresses. They each chose the same one; a baby blue dress that flowed like silk. The material hung loosely on their bodies, making it look like they were Grecian goddesses.

After paying, the four of them headed towards the Three Broomsticks for dinner. "Thank you again for this, Professor McGonagall."

"Think nothing of it, dear," she repeated. She had come to love Hermione as a daughter, and wanted her to be happy.

They found a table in the back, in a secluded little area.

"So, Hermione will you tell us who he is already?" Ginny pressed, taking a sip of her butter beer.

Hermione glanced at Professor McGonagall, who gave a curt nod.

"Sirius Black," she whispered quietly.

Ginny's jaw dropped. She scooted her chair closer. "Seriously? Like, Sirius Black?"

Hermione nodded. "Dumbledore thought it would be best seeing as he is in the Order."

"Lucky girl!" she cried.

Hermione was startled. "I'm sorry, what?"

"She said you were lucky, Hermione," Luna said, playing with the foam on her butter beer. "And you are. Sirius Black is rather handsome."

Hermione blushed intensely. "Yes, I suppose he is."

"Of course he is! Merlin, Hermione, I know he's gotten my knickers wet even though I'm in love with Harry!"

"Ginevra!" Professor McGonagall chided, although she was fighting a smirk herself.

"But Sirius is being rather sweet about everything. I know he'll keep me safe, and I'd rather it be him than someone like Malfoy."

"You're in good hands, Hermione," Minerva said, smiling.

"Thank you, all of you. Your support means everything to me," Hermione gushed. "You could have had such a negative reaction, yet you're all being positive and supporting me. I really appreciate it."

"You're our best friend, Hermione, of course we're going to support you," Ginny said, squeezing her hand.

"Don't be silly, Hermione. We've got your back," Luna added, smiling at her dreamily.

"Thank you," she whispered, wiping away a few tears. She was lucky to have such wonderful friends.

 


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. I'm so sorry for taking so long to update this story! I hope you all forgive me! Enjoy! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Eleven  
**

Hermione spent Friday night curled up in the Room of Requirement with Harry and Ron. Ginny had been a bit miffed that she wasn't invited, but understood that Hermione really just need some time with the boys.

Harry held her tightly as she cried while Ron rubbed her back. The boys frowned, wishing there was something they could to do change Hermione's fate.

"You okay?" Harry asked after a while, looking down at her small form.

Hermione shook her head, peering up at him. "I don't know what to do, Harry," she whispered. "I'm not ready for this, and I'm so angry the Ministry is pushing me into a marriage with someone I don't want to marry."

Harry frowned. "I know, Hermione, and I'm so sorry. This would have never happened if we weren't friends."

She lightly smacked his chest. "Don't talk like that."

It was so typical of Harry to take the blame. She wondered if it was part of his burden: being the savior of the wizarding world. Every time one of his friends or someone he knew was hurt, Harry would take the blame. It was no wonder Harry had trouble sleeping at night.

Hermione knew this was how Harry was. He had such a large heart and was always trying to do his best by others. He was very protective of his friends, and she suspected that was due to his lack of family growing up. The Dursley family never hid their displeasure with him, and it probably hurt him in more ways than he would care to admit. But his childhood molded him into the caring person he was today. It was one of the things she loved about him.

"But it's true," Harry replied sadly. "I feel like it's my fault." He was quiet for a moment, lost in his thoughts. "I wish I could do something to change what was happening."

"Me too," Ron added.

"I love you both, thank you," Hermione said, giving them both small smiles. "It's just hard. There are so many people out there who aren't as lucky as I am. What if Sirius wasn't able to marry me? I could have ended up with Crabbe, Sr. or one of the Lestrange brothers!" Hermione shivered at the thought.

"As much as I hate to say it, Sirius will take good care of you," Ron said.

Hermione was quiet. She knew Ron was upset that the two of them would never have their chance to be an item, but he would adjust because he'd be getting married as well before he even knew it. She hoped that whoever it was, they'd be able to handle Ron's temper.

"Well, I think we've done enough moping," Harry said, getting up off the couch. "This is your last night as a single woman, Hermione, and we should be celebrating. Which is why," he dug into a bag, "I brought this." He produced three bottles of Butterbeer.

"Harry!" she chided him. "Where did you get those?"

"The kitchens," he explained. "Winky helped me out."

Hermione smiled at the small elf's name. While she had a soft spot for all house-elves, Winky and Dobby were her favorites. Both of their stories helped motivate Hermione to want to liberate house-elves. No creature should be treated poorly the way Winky and Dobby were.

"How is Winky doing?" Hermione inquired, taking a bottle of Butterbeer from Harry.

"She's doing well," Harry replied, resuming his position on the couch between Hermione and Ron. "Dobby has been helping her with her Butterbeer addiction. She's been sober for two weeks now, which is good for her."

"That's wonderful. Good for her," Hermione replied.

"Now, I propose a toast," Ron said, sending both of them smiles. "To Hermione Granger, a girl without whom we both would have flunked long ago. I hope that you and Sirius have a happy future together."

Hermione beamed at him, tears in her eyes. "Oh, Ron, thank you." She hugged him tightly; glad she had someone as wonderful as him.

"My turn," Harry said, clearing his throat. "To Hermione Granger, my sister for all intents and purposes, I hope that you continue to make the world a brighter and happier place."

Hermione gave him a hug. "Love you, Harry."

"Love you, too," he replied.

The three of them clinked their classes together before taking a sip.

"Thank you, again, Ron and Harry. Without your support, I really don't know where I'd be."

"Stop, Hermione," Harry said, smiling. "There's no need to thank us."

"Friends stick together through thick and thin," Ron added.

"Best friends," Hermione corrected with a smile.

The three of them finished their drinks, talking about their old adventures. They ignored the delicate topic of Hermione's upcoming nuptials, knowing it would only put a damper on their evening.

Eventually, the night grew late, and Hermione found herself yawning quite a bit.

"Well, I suppose it's time to get you to bed," Harry said, standing.

Hermione pouted. "But I'm having such a good time."

"But you're yawning," Ron protested. "Besides, you need your rest for tomorrow."

"Big day tomorrow," Harry teased.

She frowned at their words, shifting uncomfortably. She knew she needed to rest for tomorrow, but the idea of staying up to prolong the inevitable was tempting. But she couldn't… it wouldn't be fair to Sirius for her to spend their wedding day overtired.

So with a sigh, Hermione stood. "Well, back to the Common Room, then."

The three of them walked back, grateful that they didn't run into anyone since it was past curfew. Of course, it did help that Harry had the Marauder's Map in his hands.

Walking into the tower, Harry bade her goodnight.

"It'll be okay," he whispered reassuringly in her ear.

Hermione nodded. "Goodnight, Harry. See you in the morning."

Ron lingered awkwardly, waiting for Harry to go to bed.

"Ron?" she prompted, sensing there was something he wanted to say.

He shifted awkwardly on his feet before looking at her. "I just want you to know, Hermione, that I am happy for you. I know it isn't really what we expected and I had hoped that things might…er… be different, but what's done is done. Sirius is a really good bloke, though, so I know he'll care for you right. But if he ever hurts you, let me know so I can break his nose."

Hermione smiled at his words and tossed her arms around him. "Thank you so much, Ron. Your words mean a lot to me."

"Try to be happy, okay? Can you do that for me, Hermione?"

Nodding, she half smiled. "I'll try, Ron. I promise to try."

"Good," Ron replied. "Now, run off to bed."

"Goodnight, Ron," she said, moving towards the stairs.

"And, Hermione, do try to actually sleep tonight," he said, giving her a knowing look.

Blushing, Hermione nodded. She climbed the stairs to her dorm. Everyone was asleep, except for Fay, who was up reading a book.

"Big day tomorrow?" she asked quietly.

Hermione bit her lip and nodded. "Yes." She squashed down the anxiety bubbling within her. It wouldn't do to panic now.

"Good luck," Fay whispered, before returning to her book.

"Thanks."

Hermione slid into bed, closing her eyes. It took her a bit but she eventually drifted into a fitful sleep.

 


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. All of your reviews are just amazing! Each and every one leaves me with a smile on my face, so thank you! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Twelve  
**

Sirius stared at the amber liquid in the tumbler, swirling around so the light from the fireplace reflected upon it. Closing his eyes, he knocked the drink back. He reached down by his feet, looking for the bottle. Picking it up, he was surprised by its lightness.

"Thought I had more than that," he grumbled before pouring another glass. He had drunk more than he realized, but he couldn't help it. Every time he thought of tomorrow, he had another glass.

Married. He, Sirius Black, was getting married. He never thought he'd see the day.

"James must be rolling in his grave," Sirius said with a snort.

It was true. Out of the four Marauders, Sirius was the only one who could never commit to a girl— apart from Marlene, that was.

He took another drink. It wouldn't do to think of Marlene the night before his marriage to Hermione. It wasn't fair to either of them.

Arthur had stopped by earlier in the evening to give him some words of courage.

* * *

_"Arthur, what are you doing here?" Sirius asked._

_"Well, Molly insisted I bring you over something to eat for dinner. She figured you were probably worrying yourself with this stress, and needed something to alleviate it."_

_Sirius snorted. "Is there a bottle of Firewhisky in there?"_

_Arthur sadly shook his head. "Afraid not, Sirius. But there is some delicious beef stew and fresh made biscuits."_

_"Thank you."_

_The two men were quiet for a moment._

_"Sirius, I have to say something," Arthur began nervously._

_"Yes?" Sirius prompted, already knowing that Arthur must have come over for a reason besides food._

_"Hermione is like a daughter to me. I know this marriage isn't ideal for either of you, and I desperately wish things were different, but they're not. Can you promise me that you'll look after_ _her? Her happiness means a great deal to me, so I expect you to care for her and try to make her happy. Please?"_

_Sirius found himself nodding. "Of course I'll do my best to make Hermione happy. She doesn't deserve any less."_

_"No, she doesn't. She deserves so much more than what this cruel world has given her," Arthur said sadly. "But I should get going. I'll see you in the morning."_

_"Good-bye, Arthur. And be sure to tell Molly thank you for the food."_

_Arthur nodded. "I will." He disappeared into the fireplace._

* * *

He was marrying Hermione. It was difficult for him. His emotions were switching back and forth between horror and content.

"Sirius, you in the study?" Remus's voice rang out through Grimmauld Place.

"Yes!" he called out, answering his friend.

Remus appeared a few moments later, a package in his hand. "Are you drinking?" he asked, staring at the half empty bottle at his feet.

Sirius pursed his lips, nodding curtly.

With a sigh, Remus plopped into the opposing chair. "You really shouldn't be, you know. I don't think Hermione would appreciate you being hung-over on your wedding day."

"Do you blame me, though?" Sirius questioned, arching his eyebrow. "Wouldn't you be doing the same if you were in my position?"

"I — er — well," Remus sputtered, clearly at a loss for what to say.

"Exactly. This whole ordeal is no walk in the park for me, and I found myself needing to calm my nerves the old fashioned way."

"But you should stop," Remus cautioned. "I bought you some new robes to wear for tomorrow." He motioned to the package in his hands.

"Thanks," Sirius mumbled. He stared into the fire, ignoring Remus's presence.

Remus studied his friend in the silence. It was obvious that Sirius hadn't been sleeping well the past few nights. There were dark circles under his eyes and rough stubble covered his face. He looked like a mess, and Remus was sure he smelled like one too.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he prodded gently. Maybe that would help Sirius feel better.

"I don't know where to begin," Sirius answered honestly. "I'm so conflicted. There are two versions of Hermione in my head and it just fucks with everything inside me."

"Two Hermiones?" Remus questioned.

Sirius nodded. "I look at her and see the thirteen year old girl I met. I see her awkwardness as she stands there and tries to be helpful. But then sometimes I look at her and I see this beautiful woman. A beautiful young woman who is going to marry me. It's so confusing, and it's tearing me apart." Sirius paused to take a drink. "I feel guilty, I think, for being attracted to her. She's so young, and this is just so wrong."

Remus nodded in understanding. "I know there's a large age gap, and that's making you uncomfortable, but I'm sure the two of you will adjust. You've known each other for a while so you're not total strangers with each other."

"I suppose that's a plus. It's just, I feel creepy, you know? I don't want anyone to think I'm a pedophile."

Remus couldn't help but chuckle. "Trust me, Sirius, no one thinks that. Everyone in the Order thinks what you're doing is admirable. In fact, I think a few people are jealous. I know the twins have been complaining about your marriage."

Sirius snorted. "She's beautiful, though, she doesn't deserve someone old like me."

"The age gap is going to become much more popular with this Marriage Law now," Remus replied. "Don't worry, Sirius. It'll be hard for you both at first, but you'll adjust. You're both strong people; I know you two will be all right."

Sirius was quiet.

"But that being said, it's very late. Sirius, you should get some rest."

"I don't know if I'll be able to sleep," Sirius said honestly.

"Which is why I brought a sleeping draught. Go upstairs and take it."

Sirius accepted the potion. "Thank you, Remus. You've always been a great friend, and I appreciate it."

He climbed up the stairs to his bedroom. Once inside, he took the draught, falling asleep almost instantly.

Remus crept in a few minutes later and left the robes on his nightstand. Next to them he left a calming draught and a hang-over potion, along with a note that said: 'Padfoot, I don't think Hermione would want you being hung-over. You're welcome. Love, Moony.'

 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope that you all enjoy reading it! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Thirteen  
**

Hermione felt herself being shaken awake. Groggily, she opened her eyes. "What?" she murmured sleepily.

"Hermione, it's time to get up," Ginny whispered excitedly. "Today's the day!"

Hermione, who was still half-asleep, pulled the covers up over her head. "Today is Saturday. I want to sleep in." She closed her eyes, intending to go back to sleep.

"Oh, no you don't!" Ginny cried. She tugged on Hermione's blanket, pulling it all the way off the brunette.

Hermione hissed as the cool air hit her body. She bolted upright, quickly rubbing her arms. "Ginny, what the hell!"

Ginny glared at her, putting her hands on her hips much like Molly would do. "We need to go. Today is your wedding, and I'll be damned if you don't look perfect."

Reality hit Hermione like a ton of bricks. For a few precious moments, she had forgotten that she was supposed to get married today. Now, as she remembered, she wished she didn't. She didn't want to get married at all.

"Come on," Ginny said gently. Taking a seat next to Hermione, she wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "Everything will be fine. You'll see."

"Easy for you to say," Hermione grumbled.

"Well," Ginny bristled, "I'll be in your position in two years. As well as hundreds of other girls."

Hermione stared at her hands. "It's not right," she whispered.

"No, it's not. It's low and cruel, but that's what Voldemort does. He'll be stopped soon," Ginny said, conviction in her voice.

"But wizarding marriages are forever," Hermione replied, sounding like a petulant child. "Once we're married, there's no going back."

"Then you'll just have to make the most of it," Ginny replied matter-of-factly. "Sirius is a nice man, Hermione. You could have done much worse."

Hermione sighed. "I suppose you're right." She stood, summoning her robe. "Where am I supposed to get ready?"

"Professor McGonagall's office. Everything is down there already. After that, we'll head to the Room of Requirement."

"And everyone will be there?" she asked, her hands trembling slightly.

"The Order," Ginny replied. "And, um, I think your Mum and Dad."

"Oh gods," Hermione cried, panic appearing on her face. "What are they going to say? How can I possibly even explain this to them?!"

"Shh, relax," Ginny said. "I think Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore, and Sirius are explaining the situation."

Hermione still couldn't calm down, however. It seemed that everything was just happening too fast and she couldn't deal with it.

She stumbled upwards. "I… I can't do this." Without warning, Hermione turn and ran from the girls' dormitory. As she ran through the Common Room, she heard Harry call her name, but she ignored him. She climbed through the portrait hole, rushing into the halls.

Hermione didn't pay any attention to where she was going… she just ran. She ran away from everything that was going on. She couldn't handle it… she wasn't the strong woman everyone thought she was. She was a coward, running from something that scared her.

A pair of arms appeared out of the darkness, grabbing her. Hermione stumbled from the force of it. "What the—"

A hand clapped over her mouth. She felt herself being shoved against the wall.

"Well, well, well," a familiar voice drawled. "What do we have here?"

Hermione's eyes widened in fright. It was Malfoy.

"What are you doing out and about so early?" Malfoy asked, leaning incredibly close to her. "And not in proper uniform either."

Unable to move since he had her pinned against the wall, Hermione watched helpless as he opened her robe. All she was wearing underneath was a tee-shirt and some shorts. While not a particularly revealing outfit, she felt as if she was naked beneath his stare.

"What the hell is going on here?" a deep, booming voice shouted.

Hermione's knees went weak… She had never been so happy to see him in her life.

Sirius stood a few feet away from them, anger written all over his face. He drew his wand, pointing it at Malfoy.

"Release her right now, Malfoy."

Malfoy did as he was told, grinning. "What are you doing here, Black? It isn't quite safe for a condemned convict to be running around a school. An accident may occur."

Sirius was unfazed by Malfoy's words. "Go, now, or else I shall report you to the Headmaster and the Ministry."

"Oh, I'm so afraid," Malfoy mocked. He snorted. "You're idiots, both of you." He gave Hermione a leering glance. "You best accept my offer, Hermione, or you'll regret it."

Hermione trembled, glancing down at the floor. Why did this have to happen to her?

Malfoy turned, storming away. He muttered something about his father under his breath.

Once Malfoy was out of sight, Sirius quickly approached Hermione and took her into his arms. She hugged him back, thankful that he had been there to save the day.

"Are you all right?" Sirius asked, checking her over. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, he didn't. I'm fine, Sirius."

He took a deep breath. "I was so afraid he was—"

"No," Hermione cut him off. "No… It's fine. I'm fine."

Sirius stared at her. "You don't seem fine," he said softly. "What are you doing out here alone? Shouldn't you, er, be getting ready or something?"

Hermione felt the tears pool in her eyes. "I can't do this, Sirius. I… I just can't."

Sirius was quiet. He had no idea she was so torn up about this. "Hermione," he said gently, reaching out to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's not you, Sirius," Hermione continued. "I'm just so young, and all of this is moving too fast." She shook her head. "I know I'm being silly."

"You are not being silly," Sirius immediately countered. "You're being perfectly reasonable. I know it seems like your life is over, Hermione, but it's not." He paused. "I know I'm not your first choice, but I'll do my best to make you happy, Hermione. I promise."

She looked up at him. "Thank you."

He smiled at her. "You know, your Mum is waiting for you at Professor McGonagall's office."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Oh my, is she really?"

Sirius nodded. "She was… most accepting of situation," he answered cautiously. "She doesn't really understand, but she did her best. When I told her about Malfoy, she seemed quite pleased that I was willing to 'do right by my daughter' as she put it."

Hermione bit her lip. At least her Mum wouldn't be as much as a problem as she had thought. "And Dad?" she asked.

Sirius let out a laugh. "Well, he wasn't too happy. But, I, er, well, fixed things, I supposed. He let it all out, and we'll just move on."

Hermione looked at him questioningly. "He didn't put up a fight?" she asked, shocked that her father didn't cause a scene.

"Oh, he fought me all right." Sirius laughed once more.

Her eyes widened. "He didn't actually hit you, did he?"

"He did," Sirius said cockily, as if he was proud of the whole thing. "I'm wearing a glamour now, but I think I might get rid of it so everyone can see it at the wedding. I think it would be him feel better."

"Oh, Sirius," Hermione exclaimed. "I'm so sorry my Dad hit you."

He shook his head. "There's no need to apologize, Hermione." He gave her a small smile. "I deserve it, in a way. I mean, I am marrying their daughter, who is far too young."

Hermione gave him a glare. "You know, if you want this to work, you shouldn't say things like that."

Sirius shrugged. "It's true, but anyways, your father punching me made me feel better about this whole situation."

Hermione gaped at him.

"It's twisted, I know. But anyways, we should get you down to Minerva's office. You need to get ready, because I've heard you've got a hot date shortly." He winked at her.

Blushing, Hermione nodded. "All right," she conceded. "Will you, um, walk me down there? Just in case Malfoy is lurking around."

"Of course," Sirius said, giving an extravagant bow. "It would be my honor to escort such a beautiful woman to her destination."

She couldn't help but chuckle. Maybe things would turn out all right. Sirius offered his arm, which she graciously accepted.

The two of them walked along the hallways in silence. "You know," Hermione began, "it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding."

Sirius chuckled. "What can I say; I just couldn't stay away from such a beautiful woman."

She blushed. "Do you really think that?" she asked. Sirius looked at her blankly. "That I'm beautiful?"

After a second, Sirius nodded. "You are very beautiful, Hermione. Your eyes are breathtaking."

"But they're brown," she countered. "They look like mud."

Sirius shrugged. "Then it's the most attractive mud I've ever seen."

Hermione smiled. "I'm glad I got to see you this morning. It's made me feel better about a lot of things."

"Me too, to be honest," he replied. "Well, here we are." He opened the door to Minerva's office. Stepping inside, they were greeted with a large cacophony of voices.

"Thank Merlin you found her!"

"Oh, Hermione, why did you run off like that?"

"Thank goodness."

But one voice stood out above the rest.

"Oh, sweetheart." It was her mother. Hermione propelled herself forward, slamming into her mother's open arms. She sobbed as she clung to her mother, inhaling her familiar scent.

Sirius, seeing that his work was done, slipped out of the room.

"Oh, baby, shhh," Nancy Granger consoled her daughter. "It'll be okay."

"Mum," Hermione sobbed. "I wanted to write you, but I didn't know what to say!"

"Shhh, it's all right," Nancy said. "Stop crying, dear. I'm here now and everything will be okay, you'll see."

Sniffling, she looked up. "You think so?"

Nancy nodded. "He seems like a nice man, Hermione. And as much as I don't like the situation, I am glad someone who doesn't mean you ill has agreed to marry you."

"I was so afraid you'd be angry," Hermione whispered.

"I could never be angry with you." She placed a hand on her daughter's cheek. "I'm mad at the situation, yes, but never you."

Hermione wrapped her arms around her mother, hugging her tightly. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Me too," Nancy replied. "But why don't we get you ready?"

Hermione nodded. She could do this. She had the love and support of so many people. It would be hard, but she would make it.

 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. Hurray! We finally made it to the big day. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Fourteen  
**

Hermione glanced at her reflection in the mirror. "It's perfect," she mumbled appreciatively. "Thank you all so much."

Ginny had done her hair. The two of them had argued about the style a bit, but eventually decided they would leave it down. Ginny had worked some magic, calming Hermione's wild curls. Her hair now fell down her back in beautiful waves. Ginny had added some small pearls and flowers to her hair, giving her an ethereal look.

Her Mum had done her make-up. Hermione never really wore much, so her Mum only added some light blush, mascara, and some red lipstick.

"Hermione, dear, for your something borrowed, I'd like you to wear this." Minerva handed Hermione an old, lace garter.

"Professor, er, Minerva, I can't wear that!" Hermione protested.

"I insist," Minerva said, pressing the delicate material into Hermione's hand. "It was handed down to me from my mother for my marriage. That did not work out for me in that regard, but I want it to work out for you. Wear it, please?"

Hermione nodded. She handed the garter to Ginny, who bunched up Hermione's skirt and slid the garter up her leg.

"And I've gotten you something blue," Ginny said happily. "Well, it's technically from Luna, Harry, Ron, and me, but I've picked it out. The four of us pitched in and got you this." She handed Hermione a small box.

Hermione opened it, gasping. Inside was a sapphire tennis bracelet. "This is beautiful," she whispered. She quickly hugged both Luna and Ginny. "Thank you so much."

Ginny beamed. "I'm glad you like it."

"Like it? I love it!" Hermione cried. "Thank you." She shook her head, trying to hold back the tears.

"And I have something new from your fiancé," Molly Weasley said, bustling forward. She handed Hermione the box.

Opening it, Hermione saw a delicate pearl necklace with matching earrings. "How lovely," she said, admiring the set. "Molly, would you help me put them on?"

Molly, who was now crying, nodded. She gently picked up the necklace, clasping it around Hermione's neck. Hermione put in the pearl earrings. Looking in the mirror, she smiled.

"You look beautiful, dear," Nancy said, smiling. "And now, for your something old." She held out a vintage silk ribbon. "This ribbon was tied around my bouquet, my mother's, and my grandmother's. I'm giving it now to you to tie around your own bouquet, with the hopes that someday you'll pass this on to your daughter."

Hermione nodded, tears welling in her eyes. She knew that the silk ribbon was a family heirloom, and it felt like her heart would burst.

"Thank you, Mum," she said, hugging her mother tightly. "Thank you so much."

Nancy smiled. She tied the light grey ribbon around Hermione's bouquet, which was a handful of daisies. "Perfect."

Hermione took the daises into her hands. Minerva placed the veil on her head, adjusting it so it was just right.

"Well, I think I'm ready." She turned and faced all her friends and family. Ginny and Luna were wearing their bridesmaid dresses. Her Mum was wearing a pencil skirt and a blazer while Molly and Minerva wore dress robes.

"Come on, dear, let's go."

Minerva cast a spell over the group so no one would see their small procession. She didn't want any students finding out just yet. It wouldn't matter later today, but she knew Hermione would like the privacy.

Hermione was quiet as the group made their way to the Room of Requirement. No one else spoke either. There wasn't much one could say in this situation.

The emotions inside of Hermione swirled around like a raging storm. Every step filled her both with excitement and dread. As mad as she was with the situation, she couldn't help but be eager. A girl only got married once, and her future husband was attractive.

"Here we are," Minerva said once they reached their destination. She paced back and forth three times and stepped back, watching as the doorway appeared. "In we go."

The group entered the Room of Requirement.

Hermione let out a small gasp. She wasn't sure what she expected when she entered the room, but it certainly wasn't this. It looked like they were in a garden or some sort of greenhouse. There were plants and flowers everywhere, giving off a slight aroma. The ceiling was charmed to look like the sky, much like the Great Hall did sometimes. It was beautiful.

There was a small group of people assembled, about twenty if she ventured a guess. They were all seated, but turned to look when the small party entered. Sirius stood at the end of the aisle by Kingsley and Remus. Hermione had to keep from laughing when she noticed he had un-glamoured his black eye. He grinned at her when their eyes met.

Soft music started to play as her father appeared by her side.

"I don't like this," he whispered to her.

Hermione gave a small shrug. "I don't either, Dad, but Sirius is a good man."

A smug look appeared on David Granger's face.

Hermione opened her mouth to scold her father about hitting Sirius, but he shushed her. "Be quiet, ducky, it's almost our turn."

She glanced ahead and saw her Mum, Molly, and Minerva had already taken their seats. Luna and Ginny were walking along the aisle ahead of her. Gulping, Hermione sent her father a panicked look.

"Don't worry, I've got you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Hermione nodded, blinking back tears. Her father tightened his grip on her arm, almost as if he was afraid she'd fall.

Slowly, the two of them began to walk down the aisle. Many people had looks of admiration and wonder on their face. She tried not to look at them; her gaze was locked onto Sirius, who looked like he might be sick at any moment.

Gulping, Hermione tried to breathe. She was starting to feel dizzy, and it wouldn't be right to pass out halfway down the aisle.

"Steady, ducky," her father whispered.

Hermione nodded, quickening her pace. She just wanted to reach the end of the aisle.

Eventually the two of them did. David kissed his daughter's cheek before placing Hermione's hand into Sirius's. Turning, he took a seat next to Nancy.

Hermione glanced up at Kingsley nervously. He tried to give her a reassuring smile but failed. It looked more like a grimace.

Sirius squeezed her hands, drawing her gaze back to him. _You look beautiful,_ he mouthed. She blushed.

"We are gathered here to celebrate the union between a witch and wizard. Before we may begin, Sirius, I ask that you formally give Hermione a proposal."

Sirius reached into his pocket, and handed Hermione the piece of paper from within. She knew immediately what it was. It was a formal request for her hand in marriage. It laid out the terms of their arrangement, and the terms stated by the marriage law. Shakily, Hermione signed the bottom, accepting his proposal. She handed it to Kingsley, who charmed the paper. It would now fly to the Ministry of Magic and be filed. The two of them would be married before anyone could protest the union.

"Now we may begin," Kingsley stated. "Is there anyone here who protests this union? If so, speak now or hold your peace."

Thankfully, no one spoke out.

"We are gathered here today to bear witness to the union of Sirius Orion Black and Hermione Jean Granger. We join in our support of them as they offer themselves to each other. As an expression of your willingness to totally commit yourself to one another, I invite you to face each other and join hands."

Sirius reached out and took Hermione's hands. He held them gently between his own.

"Sirius, you may read your vows."

Sirius dropped her hands and pulled out a small note-card. He cleared his throat, his eyes dancing around nervously.

"Hermione, I vow to put you before myself at all times. I vow to honor you as my wife and my partner for life. For every hard time we endure, I want to endure it with you. For every good memory we make, I want to enjoy it with you. I want to bless you with all that I have, and serve you in every way that I can. This I promise."

Hermione looked into his grey eyes, stunned by the amount of emotion there. She felt a tear roll down her cheek.

"Hermione," Kingsley said gently. "You may read your vows."

Nodding, she cleared her throat. Ginny handed her the small note-card.

"I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness, and to have the patience that love demands; to speak when words are needed and to share the silence when they are not, to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home."

Sirius smiled at her. He reached out and took her hand. "This ring is a symbol of my promise. Wear it always."

"I will," Hermione said softly. She watched as Sirius slid the gold band onto her finger. Turning to Ginny, she took Sirius's ring. "This ring is a symbol of my promise. Wear it always."

"I will," Sirius replied. Hermione slid the band onto his finger.

"May you both be blessed with happiness, prosperity, and peace. May you carry onward in your journeys, drawing from each other's strengths and covering each other's weakness. May you express poise, patience, and understanding with each other. May your lives blend together in harmony and joy, and may your days be good and long upon this earth." He paused. "By the power vested in me by the Ministry of Magic, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He smiled at them both. "You may now kiss the bride."

Hermione leaned forward, feeling apprehensive. Sirius, sensing her nerves, took control. He closed the distance between them and gently kissed her. The kiss was over in a second, but it was enough to seal their bond. The magic swirled around them, uniting them for all eternity.

Kingsley raised his hands. "I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Sirius Orion Black."

Ginny handed Hermione her bouquet. Sirius quickly escorted her down the aisle, followed by Ginny, Luna, and Remus.

 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. So many of you are eager for the wedding night, but unfortunately, you all have to wait another chapter. This one is filled with wedding fun, so enjoy! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Fifteen  
**

 

Sirius led Hermione to a small corner of the room. The plants near them secluded the area, giving them some privacy from the rest of the guests. He knew they were supposed to mingle with the others, but he wanted to check on Hermione first.

"Are you all right?" he asked, concerned by her slight trembling.

"I think I need to sit down," she answered honestly. The room suddenly felt too hot; she started to fan herself.

He took her hand. "Here, there's a bench." The room must have sensed her needs because a stone bench appeared a few steps away. Sirius guided Hermione over, holding her waist as she took a seat. "Better?"

Hermione nodded. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Sirius took her hand and gave it a light squeeze. "It'll be okay, Hermione."

"I just can't believe it," she replied, opening her eyes. "I'm married. We're married."

He half-smiled. "Yes, we are."

"This morning I was just an average girl, and now I'm a wife." Hermione covered her face with her hands. "This is such a disaster."

Sirius didn't know what to say. Truth be told, he felt the same way. This _was_ a disaster. But for some reason, he didn't think Hermione would like to hear that very much. So he tried to be optimistic.

"We'll figure it out. You'll only be seeing me on the weekends, so I suppose it won't be too different."

Hermione frowned. "But I won't even get to stay in Gryffindor Tower anymore. Professor Dumbledore has set aside a different part of the castle for students with spouses outside of the school." She paused. "I suppose I'll be moving in there on Monday."

Sirius sighed. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I don't know what you want me to say."

She looked down at her feet. She inhaled and exhaled loudly before getting to her feet. "There's nothing that can be said or done to change this." She took a moment to collect herself. "But regardless of the situation, it is my wedding day. There is music and dancing, and I'm going to damn well enjoy myself."

Sirius couldn't help but chuckle. "That's my girl." Leaning forward, he gently kissed her forehead. "Come on; let's go see your parents before your father thinks I've dragged you off somewhere to ravish you."

Hermione blushed at his words. It seemed in the confusion of the past days she had pushed all thoughts of their wedding night from their mind.

"But don't worry, love, there'll be plenty of time for that later." He gave her a seductive wink.

Hermione blushed even more. Was he flirting with her? She pushed those thoughts away. She could deal with them later.

"Hermione!"

Looking up, she saw her Mum and Dad approaching.

Nancy swept Hermione up into a hug. "Congratulations, darling." They hugged once more. Nancy then took Sirius into her arms, squeezing him tightly. "Welcome to the family, Sirius."

Sirius smiled. "Thank you, Nancy. I appreciate the kind words."

David hugged Hermione. "You looked so beautiful, ducky."

She beamed. "Thanks, Dad."

David looked Sirius over. Hermione gave him a small nudge. David, unable to deny his daughter's wishes, stuck out his hand. Sirius quickly shook it.

"I promise, Mr. Granger, that I will do my best to keep Hermione happy."

David sighed. "I suppose you might as well call me David. But just know, Sirius, you put one toe out of line and you'll regret it." He made a slicing motion across his neck.

Sirius quickly nodded. "Yes, sir."

Nancy let out a small laugh. "Oh David, stop teasing them." She gave her husband a quick kiss. Turning to Sirius, she smiled. "Have you told her yet?"

Sirius's eyes widened and he quickly shook his head. "No, not yet. I want it to be a surprise."

Hermione eyed them both suspiciously. "Tell me what?" she asked.

Sirius placed his arm around his waist. "Don't worry about it, kitten. You'll find out later." He kissed the side of her forehead.

Hermione opened her mouth to protest but he shushed her.

"Come on," he said. "Why don't we go have our first dance?"

She nodded, allowing Sirius to pull her onto the make-shift dance floor. Soft music began to play as he twirled her around the room. Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not a very good dancer," she mumbled as she accidentally stepped on his foot.

Sirius laughed. "I'm not either so I'm sure we look a right mess." He winked at her. Hermione laughed once more.

Twirling her around once more, Sirius then dipped her. He kissed her passionately before pulling her back up right. A few people catcalled, causing Hermione's face to flush.

"May I cut in?"

The couple broke apart to see Harry standing there. He held his hand out for Hermione, which she graciously accepted. Her best friend pulled her away.

Sirius stood off to the side, watching as his godson and wife danced around the room. "Seems Harry inherited James's two left feet, eh?" he said to Remus, who had appeared at his side.

"Yes, he does. Poor Ginny." Remus shook his head. Turning, he looked Sirius over. "How are you?"

"Better than I thought I would feel," Sirius admitted. "At least Hermione seems like she's enjoying herself."

Remus nodded in agreement. Hermione was laughing at something Harry was saying. "She looks beautiful," he said, watching Sirius to see if he would take the bait.

"Yeah, she does," Sirius muttered as a small smirk appeared on his face.

"I knew it," Remus said proudly, pleased with himself for figuring it out. "You care for her."

Sirius looked nervous. "Of course I don't!"

Remus gave him a look. "Come now, Sirius, I know you better than that. All your denial and self-wallowing… it's because you find her attractive."

"How could I not?" Sirius hissed, looking around to see if anyone else heard their conversation. "You know how I feel, Remus. We discussed this last night."

Remus shrugged. "I just like to prove my points."

"To hell with you," Sirius muttered before storming off. He didn't get very far, however, because Nancy intercepted him.

"Dance with your mother-in-law?" she asked, taking his arm and leading him to the dance floor. Sirius realized this was where Hermione definitely got her headstrong attitude.

"Please, Sirius, will you protect my daughter?" Nancy asked, leaning close to him.

Sirius's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"Please, promise me you'll protect her. I know this war is much worse than Hermione is admitting to me. David and I are not fools… we know she's in danger. This whole marriage law is just proof of that. But please, protect her."

"I would die for her," he found himself saying without a pause. His words shocked even himself. That was a serious promise to make but he realized he meant every word. "I won't let anything happen to her, I swear Mrs. Granger."

She inhaled, nodding. "Thank you, Sirius. And I told you, call me Nancy."

He nodded. The two of them continued their dance.

Meanwhile, Hermione and Harry were dancing on the other side of the room.

"Harry, I'm nervous about tonight," Hermione whispered.

A disgusted look appeared on Harry's face. He winced. "Sorry, Hermione, but there's really not much I can say to offer advice. You'd be better off talking to Ginny or someone else."

"But you're my best friend!" Hermione cried. "You're supposed to help me with stuff!"

"But I'm a bloke!" Harry countered. "We don't talk about stuff like that, especially when it involves your sister and godfather." He shuddered as if to make his point.

She rolled her eyes. "That's it, Harry, you just go be a bloke and leave me all alone!"

Harry couldn't help but laugh. "You're making absolutely no sense, but it's all right. I'll let it slide. It is your wedding day after all."

"Thanks for being here," she said softly. "I know this is hard for you."

He shrugged. "Well, we all better get used to it," he said darkly.

Hermione frowned, knowing that Harry still blamed himself. It seemed that no matter how hard she tried to assuage his guilt, he remained firm in his belief. "Don't worry," she said softly. "I'm sure Dumbledore is working on putting a stop to this." Truth be told, she didn't know if he would or not. The law seemed loophole free and she would know seeing as she tried very hard to find one.

"My turn," David said, interrupting the two of them.

"Sure thing," Harry said, stepping away. "Have fun." He turned away to look for Ginny.

"Having fun?" David asked as he started to move them around the room.

Hermione nodded. "Surprisingly, yes. Everyone else seems to be having a good time, too." People were dancing and laughing. She was glad that her wedding was able to make some people happy. During these dark times, people needed all the happiness they could get. She grinned when her eyes landed on Tonks and Remus.

"Well, you look beautiful, ducky," he said softly, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Daddy, don't cry!" Hermione protested. She knew if he cried then she would definitely start to cry. "Please, don't cry."

"I won't." David shook his head. "I'm just…well, you know."

She didn't, but she nodded anyways. She imagined that it was hard on them.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. They had cake, and Remus and Harry made toasts on their behalves. Hermione shared a dance with everyone in attendance, and by the end of the night her feet were killing her.

"Ready to go?" Sirius asked, approaching his tired wife.

"Yes," she said with a sigh. "My feet are killing me. I can't wait to take off these heels."

"Well, our Portkey is almost ready."

Hermione arched her eyebrow. "Portkey? Where are we going?"

Sirius grinned at her. "On our honeymoon of course." Her jaw dropped in surprise. "Of course it's not a real honeymoon because we only have one night, but I thought we could go somewhere special."

"Sirius, you didn't have to do that," she protested. "I'm fine with just going back to Grimmauld Place."

He looked like he abhorred the idea. "Our first time will not be in that dingy house," he whispered to her. "You deserve so much more than that dirty hovel."

Hermione was touched. "Thank you," she said, genuinely surprised at his actions.

The two of them said their good-byes to everyone. Hermione teared up when she said good-bye to her parents because she wasn't sure when she would see them again.

"Have fun, sweetheart," Nancy said, hugging her daughter tightly. "Try to enjoy yourself, he is quite handsome."

"Mum!" Hermione cried, her cheeks turning bright red.

"Come on, Mrs. Black, it's time for us to go," Sirius said, taking her hand.

Hermione gripped his hand tightly. She looked up at her Mum, who winked at her. Placing her hand on the book which was their Portkey, she felt herself be transported.

She landed with a start and would have fallen if Sirius had not caught her. "Thanks," she whispered, peering into his grey eyes. His spicy scent filled her nostrils.

"Where are we?" she asked, looking around. It was obvious they were in a hotel room, a luxurious one at that.

"Go look out the window and tell me," Sirius said, taking a seat on the bed. "Go on, go look," he said with a smile when she didn't move.

Hesitantly, Hermione made her way to the window. Looking out, she let out a gasp. "The Eiffel Tower?" she cried out excitedly. "But that would mean we're in Paris!"

Sirius grinned. "We are."

Hermione clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh, Sirius, thank you!" She looked out the window, trying to see as much as she could. "Can we go explore tomorrow? We could see L'Arc de Triomphe or Le Louvre."

He nodded. "I know we don't have much time, so I promise we'll come back another time." He approached her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Bending down, he pressed a kiss to her neck. Hermione trembled.

She cleared her throat. "I think I need to use the bathroom." She pulled away from his embrace and looked at him nervously.

"That's fine," Sirius replied. "Turn around so I can unlace your dress that way you can take it off."

Hermione turned around. Sirius came close and began to undo the lacing. His hands skimmed her bare back as it became exposed, causing Hermione to bite her lip.

"There," he said once he finished. "Your suitcase is already in the bathroom. Take your time, _wife_."

She blushed at his words. "Thank you." It seemed Sirius had really thought of everything. "Thank you for being so considerate," she found herself saying.

"Think nothing of it," he said, waving his hand. "Now go."

Hermione nodded, disappearing into the bathroom.

 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. Here we are! I really hope you all enjoy our couple's first time together. xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Sixteen  
**

Hermione took her time in the bathroom. While she wanted to just stay in there forever, she knew it wasn't an option. She had to consummate her marriage at some point, and she would prefer to do it without having the Ministry threaten to enforce it. She didn't know how they would keep tabs to make sure the marriage requirements were being met and, quite frankly, she didn't want to find out. Images of someone watching them flashed in her mind and she shook her head in disgust. Surely the Ministry wouldn't stoop that low?

But after carefully taking off her wedding dress, Hermione hung it up on the back of the door. She gazed at it, trailing her fingers over the precious material. Maybe someday, her own daughter would wear the same dress.

_But that is a long way away,_ Hermione reminded herself. _I need to get through my wedding night first._

So she decided she would take a bath. She allowed the tub to fill up with warm water and added a few drops of rose oil that was offered by the hotel. Slipping in, she allowed herself to close her eyes. It was peaceful, and the scent of the water helped calm her nerves a bit.

After bathing, Hermione stood in the bathroom faced with a dilemma. What was she going to wear? She didn't want to put on clothes because they would just come off momentarily anyways. But wearing nothing was too risqué. She couldn't just walk out of the bathroom stark naked. She wasn't that forward.

_So just wear the robe that Sirius packed you,_ her conscience chided her. Hermione felt stupid for not thinking of that in the first place. It seemed her nerves were beginning to addle her mind.

She slipped on the silk robe, liking the way the material felt against her bare skin. It was something she would never have been able to afford, but it seemed Sirius was just insisting on buying her things. She knew he was wealthy, but hoped he wouldn't make a habit of spending money on her.

"I hope he doesn't think he can buy my happiness," she mumbled sourly. If that's what he thought, he had another thing coming.

"Hermione?" he called to her through the door. "You've been in there for an hour, is everything all right?"

She blushed, not realizing she had dallied so long. "Yes, everything's fine!" she called out to him. "I'll be out soon."

"All right," Sirius replied. She heard him walk away from the door. Eventually, Hermione finished up in the bathroom. After brushing her teeth and combing her hair, she was done. She tentatively opened the door and stepped into the bedroom. She crossed her arms across her robes, trying not to feel indecent.

Sirius was staring out the window, his hands clasped behind his back. Hermione let out a small cough to know she was there. He turned quickly, facing her. His jaw went slack for a moment while he took in her appearance.

"Hermione, you look gorgeous," he said, taking a slow step towards her.

"Er, well, thank you." She flushed.

"The rose-coloured robe looks nice against your skin tone," he said, smirking. "A nice choice on my part." He was now standing in front of her. "Relax," he gently soothed, placing his hand on her cheek.

"I'm nervous," Hermione admitted, her eyes flicking upwards towards his.

Sirius shook his head. "There's nothing to be nervous about." He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'll be gentle, Hermione, if that's what you're frightened of."

He sat down on the edge of the bed, his arms going around her and pulling her with him. He maneuvered them so she was now sitting on his lap in a tight embrace. He nipped her ear with his teeth, causing Hermione to shiver.

"Mrs. Black," he murmured before kissing the sensitive skin beneath her ear. "You do look lovely."

"So you said," Hermione replied, stifling a giggle. "I think you may be biased, Sirius."

He pulled away, an expression of mock horror on his face. "Me? Biased?" He shook his head. "Never, kitten."

Hermione couldn't hold back a small laugh. She enjoyed when Sirius was being his amusing self. He looked younger when he laughed or joked. His worry lines would disappear and his eyes would appear more alert. In a different time or place, she suspected he would have aged much slower without the added stress from the war.

Abruptly, Sirius leaned back onto the bed, taking Hermione with him. She let out a small gasp of surprise as she tried to situate herself so she wasn't crushing him with her body weight. He quickly leaned forward, placing a kiss on her lips. Taking Hermione by surprise, Sirius slid his tongue into her mouth. One hand tangled itself into her hair while the other hand rested on her small waist. The kiss was even sweeter than he could have imagined.

Hermione moaned into the kiss, her hands sliding up his arms and around his neck. She tried to pull him closer in order to deepen the kiss. Sirius, sensing her desire, quickened his motions. He committed the scent and feel of her to memory as he kissed her passionately, kissing her with a hunger he had not felt in quite some time.

Hermione eventually tugged away from him. She panted, trying to catch her breath.

"My kisses often have that effect on people," he said, smirking at her.

Hermione laughed. "Oh, shut it," she said before closing the distance between them. Their lips crashed together once more as they hungrily explored each other's mouths.

Sirius's hand moved from her waist to her stomach, sliding inside her robe and caressing the soft skin there. Slowly, he moved his hand upwards. He lightly cupped one of her breasts. They were the perfect size, he thought, not too big or too small. _Perfect, just like her._

She shivered at his touch. Hermione felt herself becoming more at ease with every passing second. Every doubt and worry about their wedding night slowly began to drift away. Sirius knew what he was doing. He would take care and be gentle, she was sure of it.

His thumb moved, slowly going across her nipple. Hermione gasped, pressing herself into him. Sirius's head moved to her neck, alternating between kissing and sucking her creamy white flesh. His thumb continued to stimulate her until her nipple formed a stiff peak. He then turned his attention to her other breast.

With every passing second, Hermione could feel herself growing wetter and wetter. She wanted him.

Sirius pulled back to look at his wife. _Oh Merlin,_ she was beautiful. He didn't know what he ever did to deserve such a beautiful woman, but he fervently thanked whatever gods were responsible.

He dipped his head lower now, planting small kisses as his mouth glided across her stomach. Hermione tensed slightly, but relaxed when Sirius's hand began to draw small circles on her hip in a soothing motion.

As he made his way between her legs, he stared at her brazenly. Her pink folds were glistening with moisture — a sure sign of her arousal. Her musky scent filled his nostrils, causing him to salivate. Without any further hesitation, he licked her slit. Hermione let out a squeal of delight, tangling her hands into his long hair.

Sirius teased her for a few moments, licking her everywhere but that small spot. He was enjoying this slow torture.

Hermione was panting heavily. "Please, Sirius," she begged, lifting her head to look at him. "Please, touch me."

Smirking to himself, Sirius obeyed. His tongue darted out, swirling around her swollen nub. Hermione cried out, tugging on his hair roughly. He continued to lavish her nub, alternating between licking and sucking. Every so often, he would lightly bite down on the tender flesh.

Hermione could feel herself getting closer. She arched her hips upwards, pressing herself onto his face. Sirius increased his speed and enjoyed the small noises of pleasure she was making. It was all too much. Hermione fell over the proverbial cliff, his name falling from her lips. Everything became blurry as she rode out her passion; the only thing she was aware of was the feel of Sirius's lips pressing kisses along her thigh. Those sweet kisses seemed to burn into her skin.

Eventually, Sirius pulled away. He moved himself, positioning his hardened member at her entrance. "You good?" he asked, brushing some hair off her sweaty face.

Hermione's brown eyes met his grey ones. She gave a nod. "More than good, actually."

Sirius chuckled. "Good." He bent down and kissed her. Hermione responded to the kiss eagerly. She could taste her muskiness on his lips, and vaguely wondered what he tasted like.

As they were kissing, Sirius gently slid himself into her. Hermione trembled a bit, gripping his shoulders tightly. He paused as he met his resistance but Hermione nodded, silently giving permission. He pressed forward quickly, breaking through her barrier.

Hermione cried out, burying her face into his shoulder.

Sirius stilled, not wanting to hurt her anymore. He leant down and pressed kisses all over her face. He moved to her neck, kissing and biting the skin there.

Eventually, Hermione moved her hips. "It's okay, Sirius, you can move now."

"You sure?" he asked hesitantly. "I don't want to hurt you."

She smiled, touched by his concern. "I'm fine," she assured him. She wriggled her hips, a shy grin on her face. "See? All good; now move, Sirius, _please."_

Sirius, unable to deny her wishes, started to move. He went slowly at first, allowing her to adjust to the sensation. Eventually, he picked up speed, moving into her quickly. His eyes fluttered closed; she felt so wonderful.

Hermione arched her back, lifting her arse off the bed. Her eyes rolled back at the pleasure this new position was giving her. "Sirius," she moaned, licking her lips.

He groaned as he opened his eyes; the sight of her before him was driving him insane. He did his best to hold back, not wanting to come just yet. One hand glided down over her breasts, teasing them momentarily before gripping her hips. He held her tightly as he pumped into her.

"Sirius!" she cried, her inner walls suddenly tightening around him. She gripped at the sheets, trying to brace herself. "Sirius!"

His name sounded like heaven coming from her lips. He sped up his movements, coming with a grunt. "Oh, fuck," he cursed as he emptied himself into her.

She watched him come, her eyes wide in curiosity. The eager and curious expression on her face drove Sirius wild. He had no idea someone's innocence could be so stimulating.

Eventually, he collapsed onto the bed, lying on his side next to her. "You okay?" he asked again, wanting to check on her.

Hermione turned onto her side so she could face him. She grinned at him. "Sirius, I'm more than okay." She leaned forward and gave him a kiss. "Thank you for be so gentle and caring." She paused for a moment. "It means a lot to me."

Sirius pulled up the blankets over them both. "Hermione, there's no need to thank me." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm just glad you enjoyed it."

"I did," she admitted shyly. "And I think I'd quite like to do it again sometime, if that's all right."

Sirius arched his brow. "I think that could be arranged."

Hermione laughed. Her smile, however, faltered after a moment.

Sirius picked up on her change of mood almost immediately. "What is it, Hermione? What's wrong?"

She shifted uncomfortably, her eyes downcast. "I was just thinking," she said in a quiet voice, "about how this night could have been very different if Malfoy had managed to marry me."

Sirius's arms were around her almost immediately. "Don't think like that," he whispered, kissing her temple. "I've got you, Hermione, and I will never let anything bad happen to you."

Hermione hugged him back. "Thank you," she whispered. "I owe you so much, Sirius. I don't know how I'll ever be able to pay you back."

"Stop," Sirius said, peering into her brown eyes. "You don't owe me anything, Hermione, so get those silly notions out of your mind. I married you out of duty, I suppose, but that doesn't mean I don't care for you. You're a beautiful woman, I'm sure in time, I could maybe-"

"Shh," Hermione cut him off. "Don't make promises unless you know they'll come true." She smiled at him. "You care for me and that's more than I could have hoped for. Thank you."

Sirius gently kissed her. "Why don't we get some sleep?" he suggested pulling away. "We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

"All right," Hermione conceded. She made herself comfortable in his arms and slowly drifted to sleep.

 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. Thank you everyone for the kudos! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Seventeen  
**

Hermione awoke the next morning to sunlight streaming through the window. Sleepily, she rolled over, bumping into Sirius. He jerked away mid-snore, bolting up right.

"What? What is it?" he asked, looking around wildly.

Hermione couldn't contain her laugh. Sirius's gaze turned to her, realizing where he was. He relaxed, stretching his arms upwards. "What's so funny?" he asked when he noticed Hermione continued to smile.

"Your black eye is looking much better." Hermione watched as his cheeks turned light pink. She did her best to keep a straight face. "I had no idea you were so cute in the morning."

"I am not cute," Sirius growled, wrapping his arms around Hermione and pulling her down onto the bed with him. Hermione let out a squeal of delight, secretly enjoying the tightening of his arms around her. He nuzzled her neck with his nose. A soft moan escaped her lips.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, watching her reaction carefully.

"Wonderful," Hermione answered honestly. "Sore, but a wonderful sore." She looked into his grey eyes, a smile playing on her lips. "If that makes any sense to you at all."

Sirius gave her cheek a light kiss. "I'm glad you're all right."

"Last night was wonderful," Hermione admitted. Peering up at Sirius with wide eyes, she asked, "May I?"

Sirius scrunched his eyes up in confusion. "May you what?"

Hermione's hand was suddenly on his erection. He had tried to move away so she wouldn't notice it, but it seemed it was to no avail. As her hand gently slid up and down the shaft, Sirius's eyes fluttered closed. She watched as his lips parted and his breath hitched. The feel of him beneath her hand was unlike anything she had ever imagined. She wondered what he tasted like. Would he be salty? Musky? She salivated a bit at the thought. There was only one way to find out.

Moving herself down the bed, she tried to find a comfortable position.

Sirius's eyes jolted open when he felt her hot breath on him. He gasped for breath as she took him into her mouth. She slowly swirled her tongue around his head and it felt amazing.

"Hermione," he gasped. "You don't have to do that."

She pulled away and smiled at him. "I know. I _want_ to do it." She took him into her mouth once more, one of her hands coming up to grip the base of his cock. She truly had no idea what she was doing, but the moans Sirius was making showed her that she must have been doing something right. She had read a few books in the past, but none of them had even come close to the real thing. Being able to render Sirius so relaxed and passionate was an incredible turn on.

Hermione drew him deeper into her mouth. Sirius tangled his hands into her hair, a growl escaping his lips. Encouraged by his sounds, Hermione quickened her movements, bobbing her head up and down his shaft.

"Fuck, Hermione, I'm going to—" Sirius began, cutting off when a moan escaped his lips. He felt himself come with a force he had not experience in quite some time. To his astonishment, Hermione swallowed every bit of his load.

She released him from her mouth with a small pop and pulled away. She gave him a shy grin as she moved herself back up the bed. "Was that all right?"

"All right?" Sirius arched his brow at her. He shook his head, grinning. After catching his breath, he gently took her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. "Hermione that was the best blowjob I've ever had."

Her cheeks turned light pink. "Really? It was that good?"

"Better than good," he responded. "It was perfect. Now, why don't you let me return the favor?" He maneuvered himself so he was now hovering over her. He lowered his lips to hers, kissing her gently. He could taste himself in her mouth, but the idea didn't disgust him. In fact, it turned him on even more.

Hermione giggled, pushing at his shoulders. "Sirius, as much as I would love a repeat of last night, you did promise me that we could sightsee before heading back to Hogwarts tonight."

Sirius sighed, but nodded. "I did promise you that, and I am certainly a man of my word." He rolled off her and stood up from the bed. "Why don't you use the shower and get ready? I'll pop down and grab us some breakfast."

"That sounds wonderful," Hermione said. "Thank you." Getting up, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "See you soon, Sirius." She disappeared into the bathroom.

* * *

Hermione finished getting ready. She pulled her hair back into a low bun and was now wearing a light pink sundress. Despite her attempts not to think about him, her thoughts kept drifting towards Sirius.

She sighed, shaking her head. Everything had changed so much in the past twenty-four hours. She was a married woman now, and it frightened her. But the thing that frightened her the most was her feelings.

Hermione was friends with Sirius, and that was all. They had always joked around together, and he always made her laugh. But now, when she thought of him, her insides squirmed. Everything had changed, and she now saw him in a new light. A romantic light.

Closing her eyes, she finished getting ready. It wouldn't do to start dwelling on her feelings. She was starting to fall in love with Sirius, and that was perfectly normal. Most wives love their husbands, so why should she be any different?

_Because you didn't marry for love,_ her traitorous mind whispered.

Huffing, Hermione knew it was true. She felt a bit upset over it. Confused, too. Was it wrong for her to care for Sirius? Would people look down on her?

She didn't think they would. She was entitled to her own feelings, wasn't she? There was nothing wrong with her falling for Sirius.

So then why did it bother her so much? Hermione shook her head once more. "Get a grip, Hermione," she whispered to herself. Taking a deep breath, she exited the bathroom.

"Hello," Sirius greeted her when he saw her. His eyes widened when he took in her appearance. "You look lovely, Hermione."

Hermione blushed. "Thank you." She moved to take a seat at the small table. "What did you bring for breakfast? I'm starved."

"I got a few things because I wasn't really sure what you would like. There's coffee, tea, and orange juice to drink. For food, there's toast and jam, croissants, and some fruit."

Hermione's stomach growled. "Looks delicious," she said with a grin. Grabbing a banana, she peeled and ate it. She then had some toast and blackberry jam.

Sirius drank his coffee, watching Hermione as she ate. She did everything with precision. His eyes dropped to her collar, where he glanced at the small amount of cleavage visible. His cock twitched in his trousers and he quickly looked away.

"So, Hermione, what would you like to do first?" Sirius asked her.

Hermione shrugged. "I'm not really sure. What would you like to do?"

"Well, we could walk along the Seine River. I know there's an area that sells art and other things."

"Like a riverside market?" Hermione asked, an excited look on her face.

He nodded. "Yeah, like a little market. We could go there."

"That sounds lovely," Hermione said. "Why don't we do that first? I can pick up a few gifts for people."

"Gifts?" Sirius asked, momentarily confused. Why did she need gifts?

Hermione looked at him in disbelief. "As a thank you to everyone who helped with our wedding. It was short notice, but a lot of people really helped. I'd like to thank them properly."

"Oh, of course," Sirius mumbled, momentarily embarrassed. For all his manners, he seemed to have forgotten that small detail. "We'll pick up some gifts for everyone."

The two of them finished breakfast before heading out of the hotel. As they walked, Hermione was tempted to reach out and hold Sirius's hand. She resisted, however, unsure of how he would take the action.

Sirius glanced at her, somehow sensing her conflicting emotions. "What is it, Hermione?" he asked.

She blushed, mumbling, "Nothing."

"It's not nothing," he replied. He stopped walking to look at her fully. "What's the matter?"

Hermione glanced up at him. Aware that her face was probably bright red, she decided to ask him anyways. "May I hold your hand?"

His brows flew up to his hairline. "You want to hold my hand?" She nodded. "And that's what has you so worked up right now?" She nodded once more. "All right then," he said, offering her his hand.

"Really? You don't mind?" she asked in a small voice.

"Of course I don't mind," Sirius responded. "As strange as it is, you're my wife. We need to adjust to it, at least I certainly do, and the way I see it, is holding your hand may be a good way to do it."

"It's really all right?" Hermione asked once more, wanting to be sure of his feelings.

"Yes, Hermione, really," he responded, taking her hand. He squeezed it tightly. "There's nothing to be ashamed of."

Hermione sighed. "Everyone's going to know, aren't they?" The couple resumed walking down the street.

"Yeah, they will," Sirius said with a frown. "Our marriage will be announced in the paper."

"How awful," she murmured. "Not people finding out," she added hurriedly, "But that the Daily Prophet continues to post people's private business on the front page. It's rude, and the things that Skeeter writes are just ghastly."

"I agree," Sirius said, nodding. "Rita was always… Well, she was a gossip. She was always hanging around my cousin, Bellatrix. She was always going out of her way to cause trouble."

"Seems that never changed," Hermione said with a dry laugh. "I wonder if she ever registered as an Animagus."

"She's one?"

Hermione nodded. "A beetle! I kept her held captive in a jar for quite some time."

Sirius glanced at her, a smirk on his face. "That's quite manipulative of you, Hermione. I had no idea you had some Slytherin tendencies."

"Don't get on my bad side, darling husband, and you'll never see these tendencies yourself," Hermione said, grinning at him.

Sirius let out a laugh. "Too funny, Hermione," he murmured. His facial expression sobered moments later. "If the Malfoy boy tries anything, you must inform me, or someone else, immediately. I don't trust him at all."

"I don't trust him either," Hermione replied. "He's a git, and I wouldn't put it past him to try something. I can only imagine how furious he'll be when he finds out I've married you."

"Which is why you need to be careful, Hermione," Sirius said. "Always tell someone where you're going, just in case. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Hermione gave him a reassuring smile. "Nothing will happen, Sirius, I promise. Now come on, why don't we take a look around?"

The two perused the items available. In the end, Hermione picked up a handful of trinkets. She bought both Ginny and her mother some perfume. Harry and Ron both got some French chocolates. For Remus and Tonks, they bought some colorful macarons, while the Headmaster would get some candies. She bought a beret for her father, and for Professor McGonagall, she bought a rare copy of Les Misérables. Hermione also bought some tea, candles, and a painting.

When they were finished, Sirius asked her what she wanted to do next. Hermione decided they should go to the Louvre. They spent the rest of the day looking at art and enjoying each other's company.

 


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over. Thank you all for the comments, favorites, and kudos! I seriously appreciate it so much! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Eighteen  
**

Hermione had barely walked into the Common Room when she was attacked by a cacophony of voices.

"Hermione, you got married!"

"Why wasn't I invited to your wedding?"

"You married Sirius Black! Isn't he a murderer?"

"What was it like?"

"Hermione!"

"Hermione!"

"Stop!" Hermione cried, unable to take all the questions. "Please, just stop. I have a large migraine at the moment, and I really would like to be left alone," she snapped, glaring at all the occupants of the tower.

"But, Hermione," Lavender whined. "Why won't you tell us?"

"Because it's none of your business," she snapped angrily. "I have more important things to do than sit here and listen to all your silly gossip." She looked around the room. "Ginny!" she shouted, trying to find her best girlfriend.

Ginny pushed through the crowd of people. "Get out of the way," she said angrily, shoving a few first years. Grabbing Hermione's hand, she pulled her through and up towards the girls' dorms. Once inside, Ginny slammed the door shut.

"I'm so sorry about all that!" she said, sitting on Hermione's bed. "The boys and I have been trying to keep everyone away from the Tower, but that obviously didn't work."

Hermione sighed. "There's no need to apologize. It's not your fault. It was in the paper, wasn't it?"

Ginny frowned, nodding. "Rita was absolutely horrid. I set fire to every paper I saw," Ginny said proudly. "It was like she had forgotten that the Marriage Law has been invoked. She just wrote about your secret love affair, and how you're leaving school to take care of your imaginary love child, and all that other nonsense. If it wasn't about you, I personally would have found the article to be hilarious."

Hermione couldn't help but smile. "That does sound rather funny. I have a child that I didn't know about?"

Ginny giggled. "Apparently."

"Where are Ron and Harry?" Hermione asked. "I didn't see them in all the chaos downstairs."

Ginny frowned. "They're in detention."

"Detention? With who?"

"Professor McGonagall. Apparently Malfoy was saying some really nasty things earlier, and both Ron and Harry hexed him. Professor McGonagall saw the whole thing happen, and now the three are in detention together."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "Won't those two ever learn?"

Ginny arched her brow. "Apparently not, Hermione, although did we ever think they would?"

"Nope," Hermione said, laughing. "Now, I know you're probably dying to know what happened, but first, will you help me pack up my things? I'm moving to the married students section of Hogwarts. Headmaster Dumbledore explained how they opened the new wing yesterday."

"Yeah, they did. After we pack, I'll show you where it is, and then I want details!" Ginny said, grinning at her. "I want to hear every juicy little detail."

"Then you better get packing," Hermione said with a laugh.

* * *

After unpacking everything in Hermione's new dorm, the two girls lay spread out on Hermione's bed. They had found out that there were only two other students in the married students' dorm, and the two students had married each other. Hermione suspected that more students would move in as time went on.

"So, how was your wedding night?" Ginny asked, cutting to the chase.

Hermione blushed. "It was nice, Ginny. He was really sweet and tender with me."

"Was he?" Ginny asked, somewhat surprised. "Sirius certainly doesn't look like the type to be slow and gentle."

She looked at her friend. "What are you implying about my husband, Ginevra?"

Ginny blushed. "Well, er, just that Sirius looks like the rough and tumble type." At Hermione's arched brow, she continued. "He looks like the type of man to just go and take what he wants. Like, he'd want to tie your arms to the bedpost and ride you into oblivion."

"Ginny!" Hermione screeched, absolutely mortified. She threw a pillow at the girl. "Why would you say something like that?"

"Because that's what I think he'd be like in the sack!" Ginny retorted, laughing. "I'm sorry, Hermione, I didn't mean to talk so naughty about your husband."

Hermione laughed as well. "Now that you mention it, it doesn't sound half bad."

"So you definitely want to have sex with him again?" Ginny asked.

She frowned. "We have to have sex again either way, no matter what I want."

Ginny gave her a stern look. "You know what I meant, Hermione." She scooted closer to her on the bed. "You need to be honest with me."

Hermione sighed before nodding. "Yes, I do want to have sex with him again," she whispered. "He's just… It's different now that we're married, you know?"

"Not really," Ginny answered honestly, "But I can sort of see where you're coming from. He's your husband now, and you're going to be spending the rest of your life with him. It's only natural that the way you look at him has changed."

"Really? You think it's normal?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Of course it is!" Ginny insisted. "Don't be ashamed of your feelings, Hermione."

"I'm not ashamed," she said quickly. "It's just a bit strange. I always thought Sirius was attractive, but since we said our vows, I've been looking at him differently. He's just so _sexy_ now. When I look at him, I want to hold his hand or run my fingers through his hair. I want to snog him senseless."

Ginny grinned. "You're falling for him."

Hermione blushed, ducking her head. "Yes, I suppose I am, Ginny."

"That's only normal," Ginny said once more. "You're allowed to look at him in a new light. You've always been a rule-follower, Hermione. Now that it's okay for you to like him, you find yourself liking him more. It's okay for you to want to snog him now, so you do. Makes sense?"

"When did you get so smart, Ginny?" Hermione asked. "That sounds spot on."

"Hey!" Ginny protested. "I've always been smart. It's not my fault that not everyone wants to see it."

Hermione shifted on the bed, resting against the pillows. "I'll being Flooing to Grimmauld Place every Saturday night so we can consummate our marriage."

"Have wild sex, you mean," Ginny corrected her. "That kind of stinks it's every week though. What if you're on your period?"

Cringing, Hermione shrugged. "I think we have to do it anyway. If we don't, then we'll both be fined. And on top of that, some creepy, old Ministry official will have to be present to ensure that we do it."

Ginny shook her head, a look of disgust on her face. "I still can't believe this law was passed. It's absolutely disgusting."

"But we both know it was Voldemort's idea," Hermione said. "I really don't think the Ministry had a choice."

"That just shows how bad things really are," Ginny said sadly, drawing her knees up to her chest. "I know the adults are trying to hide it, but the students can realize it. Things are getting bad, and I'm sure Voldemort is winning right now. We need to work harder at the D.A. meetings to get better. We need to be prepared to fight."

Hermione found herself crying.

"What? Hermione?" Ginny asked, realizing that Hermione was crying. She moved on the bed and wrapped her arms around her. "Shhh, don't cry. It'll be okay, Hermione."

"It's not fair," Hermione said with a sniff. "None of this is fair."

"I know," Ginny assured her. "I know it's not fair."

"Why couldn't we just have a normal childhood?"

Ginny frowned, trying not to cry herself. It really wasn't fair. They were all forced to grow up too fast because of the war. "This hurts, I know, Hermione, but we just have to push forward. We need to make the best of the situation we're in."

"It's hard," Hermione whispered. "Being forced to get married so young. What if I get pregnant right away? My Hogwarts education would be over."

"I know," Ginny soothed. "The law says you have a year. Hopefully, you'll have some time. And don't ever worry about your education. I know Sirius will always do his best to ensure that you're in school. He knows you're a smart girl, and he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize your future."

"Thanks for letting me cry on you," Hermione said, reaching up to wipe away some tears. "Will you stay the night? The bed is more than big enough for us both."

"Of course," Ginny said. "I'll always be here for you."

"Thank you," Hermione answered, pleased that she had a girl she could confide in. Harry and Ron were great, but sometimes a girl was just needed. Ginny was certainly that girl.

The two of them got ready for bed, and fell asleep hugging each other tightly.

 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over for me. I hope everyone enjoys this update! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Nineteen  
**

The next morning, the two of them woke up rather early. Ginny left Hermione so she could get ready in Gryffindor Tower. As Hermione got ready in her new private bathroom, she grinned. It was rather nice to get ready without Lavender or Parvati hogging the sinks or mirrors.

After getting dressed, she headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. She took a seat at the Gryffindor Table, thankful that there wasn't anyone else down yet. It was still early, and many of the students were probably still in bed.

Hermione buttered herself some toast and filled a glass with orange juice. Taking a sip, she sighed. She wondered just how awful today would be.

"Hello, Mrs. Black."

Turning, Hermione saw Professor McGonagall. "Hello, Professor."

"I'm sure it'll take quite some time for you to adjust to your new title," Professor McGonagall stated. "If you'd like to come to my office tonight, you're more than welcome to. There are a few things I believe you'd be interested in knowing."

Hermione nodded. "Is after dinner all right, Professor?"

"Of course, Mrs. Black, I shall see you then." Professor McGonagall gave her a smile before continuing on her way to the Heads' Table.

Looking to the door of the Great Hall, she saw Harry, Ron, and Ginny coming down the way. "Hello, Hermione," Ginny greeting her, taking the seat next to her.

Ron and Harry each took a seat on the opposite side of the table.

"Morning, Hermione," Ron said, stuffing a muffin in his mouth. "It's 'ood to see you," he mumbled.

Hermione shook her head. "Don't talk with your mouth full, Ronald!" she chided him.

"How are you?" Harry asked. "Sorry we weren't around last night when you got back."

"It's all right," Hermione assured them. "It was nice to have some girl time with Ginny."

"Did you have fun?" Harry inquired as he helped himself to some breakfast.

"Oh, yes!" Hermione exclaimed. "We went to Paris. I've got some gifts for you in my room. We weren't there very long, obviously, but I did get to see a lot of beautiful sights. I'm hoping we can return over break."

"Sounds nice," Harry said. "I'm sure Ginny filled you in on what's been going on."

"She has. Honestly, people need to mind their own business. I'm not the only student getting married. Girls should be worrying about their own marriages instead of sticking their nose into mine."

"Did Sirius treat you well?" Harry asked, a worried expression on his face.

Hermione felt her insides warm at his concern. "Of course he did, Harry. Sirius is a gentleman, and he was very kind to me. He's been a good husband so far, despite our situation."

"Good, good," Harry said, relieved.

"Why did you think he'd treat me badly?" Hermione inquired. "He doesn't seem as that sort of man."

"I don't know, I know he's been very angry about the law… I just wanted to make sure he didn't take it out on you," Harry answered sheepishly.

"Of course not!" Hermione exclaimed. "Sirius would never do such a thing, Harry, and shame on you for thinking it!"

"Sorry," he mumbled as he cut into his pancakes. "Just wanted to make sure."

Hermione sighed. "It's all right, Harry. But there is a small issue."

"What?" Ginny and Ron asked at the same time.

"Well, I can't imagine Malfoy will be too happy about this, as he's been trying to marry me himself. Sirius asked that I not walk anywhere alone."

"Done," Harry stated. "And I'll continue to check the map. You know, this almost proves that Malfoy's a Death Eater. Why else would he want to marry you?"

"Jeez, thanks, Harry," Hermione grumbled, shooting him a glare.

"Not what I meant," he replied, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "But I bet you Voldemort put him up to the task."

"But we don't have any proof of that," Ron pointed out.

"I know," Harry grumbled.

At this point, more and more students were filing into the Great Hall. Hermione did her best to ignore the whispers and stares, but they were starting to get on her nerves.

"Ignore them," Ginny whispered, noticing Hermione's increasing stress.

Hermione nodded, biting her lip. She knew Ginny was right, it would just be best to ignore them.

"We're about done with breakfast so we can head to class if you'd like," Ron offered, giving her a small smile.

"All right," Hermione said.

"We'll probably be the first ones at the Greenhouses too!" Harry said excitedly. "Let's go."

"See you later, Ginny," Hermione said, hugging her redheaded friend.

"See you," Ginny replied. She watched them leave before returning to her breakfast.

* * *

Luckily, the three made it to the Greenhouses without interference from anyone else. Professor Sprout was already there, fussing over a plant that Hermione had never seen before.

"Hello, Professor," Hermione said, announcing their presence.

Professor Sprout startled. "Oh, Miss Granger, oh, I mean Mrs. Black, you gave me quite a fright."

Hermione smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Professor. May I ask what you're doing?"

"Oh, this. This plant is something of my own creation. It's a cross between gillyweed and mint. Those who've had gillyweed know that the taste is incredibly unpleasant. I've been experimenting with a way to take away some of the bitterness in the leaves. So far I've not had any success, but I'm determined to find away," Professor Sprout said happily.

Harry nodded in agreement. "Gillyweed does taste nasty."

"Oh, Mister Potter, that is correct! I had forgotten you had gillyweed during the Triwizard Tournament. Good, good, perhaps you'd be interested in helping me experiment?" She looked at Harry expectantly.

Harry turned bright red. "Er, no thank you, Professor Sprout. I think I've got enough on my plate."

Professor Sprout frowned. "Oh, I suppose you're right."

"Professor," Hermione interjected. "I think Neville would be interested in helping you. He has an affinity for plants."

"Yes, he does," Professor Sprout murmured to herself. She turned away from the trio, whispering under her breath. "Perhaps I should speak with him about an Apprenticeship."

The three of them took their usual places at the table. Hermione wondered what they were going to work on today.

The rest of the students filed in and for once, Hermione was grateful that the Gryffindors shared Herbology class with Hufflepuff.

"Hello, Hermione," Neville said, giving her a smile. "Welcome to the family."

"What?" she asked. "Neville, we're not related."

"My great-great grandfather and Sirius's great-grandfather were brothers." Neville grinned. "See, all Pureblood families are related one way or another."

"Oh, yes, I suppose that is true," Hermione agreed. "But if we're being honest, my closest Pureblood family would be the Malfoys, although I'm sure the Weasleys and Potter family would be in the family tree as well."

Ron nodded. "Neville and me are like, third cousins or something."

Hermione shivered. "Er, okay, stop please. I'd rather not think about all the incest going on in the wizarding world."

"Attention everyone, it's time to begin class," Professor Sprout said, gaining everyone's attention. "You'll need your dragonhide gloves today as you'll be repotting _achillea millefolium_ , commonly known as yarrow. The type you'll be repotting specifically is sneezewort. Can anyone tell me what sneezewort is commonly used for?"

Hermione's hand shot in the air. She ignored Ron's eye roll.

"Yes, Mrs. Black?"

"Sneezewort is a potion ingredient that is used to make Confusing and Befuddlement Draughts," she answered.

"Correct!" Professor Sprout said. "Ten points to Gryffindor. Now it's important to wear gloves when handling the sneezewort, as the leaves can cause sneezing. If you touch a leaf with your bare skin, and then later touch your face, you'll end up with a terrible sneezing fit that Madame Pomfrey will have to treat. So, why don't we all avoid that by putting on our gloves?"

The class worked in silence as they repotted the sneezewort. A few times, a student or two would let out a sneeze. Luckily, Hermione was very careful not to touch the plant leaves to her bare skin. She didn't fancy spending the evening in the Hospital Wing.

Eventually, class was over and it was time for History of Magic. Once again, no one said anything to Hermione about her marriage, but she could hear everyone talking behind her back. It was annoying, but Hermione reminded herself that there were more important things to worry about. She didn't have time to reprimand so-and-so for gossiping.

Hermione scribbled notes on about the creation of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. She ignored both Ron and Harry's snores, as she knew they'd be asking for her notes later on.

The rest of the day went by in a similar fashion. After classes were over, Hermione, Ron, and Harry went down to visit Hagrid. He served them tea as they discussed Hermione's new marriage and the law in general.

"Real shame," Hagrid said, shaking his head. "Forcing ye kids to get married."

After visiting with Hagrid, the three of them went to dinner. It was a rather uneventful affair.

"Are you finished with dinner, Mrs. Black?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, Professor, I am. Are you ready for our meeting?"

"I am, let's be off." She waited for Hermione to stand before walking down to her office. Once there, they both took a seat on the couch.

"So, Hermione, how was Paris?" Minerva asked.

"Absolutely lovely, Minerva," Hermione replied, knowing it was all right to use informal speech as it was just the two of them. "I've actually got something for you." She reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out Minerva's gift. "It's just a little thank you for all that you've done for me."

Minerva accepted it, a smile on her face. "Hermione, thank you so much. Les Misérables was always one of my favorite tales growing up. My step-father used to read it to me before bed."

Hermione beamed. "I'm so glad you like it. I wanted to get you something to show my thanks. You've been so helpful since this law came out, and I don't know what I would have done without you."

Minerva smiled as she reached over and took Hermione's hands. She gave them a light squeeze. "Hermione, don't you ever worry about being alone, all right? There are so many people who care about you."

Sniffling, Hermione nodded. "I know. I'm very lucky to have so many people who care. It's been difficult, but everyone's help has been wonderful."

Giving Hermione's hands one last squeeze, Minerva pulled away. "Now, why don't we get down to business?"

Hermione nodded. "What have I missed? Is our marriage legal with the Ministry?"

"Despite our roundabout way of doing it, the Ministry has accepted your engagement and marriage. However, I feel it prudent to let you know that there's been some discord. I spoke with Percy Weasley this morning, who informed me that Lucius Malfoy has been trying to get your marriage annulled. It's impossible of course, but he was quite determined."

Hermione sat back in her chair, biting her lower lip. "I knew this wouldn't be smooth sailing. No doubt Voldemort is furious that I married someone other than Malfoy. Really, I expected this."

"Professor Dumbledore did not want me to tell you," Minerva admitted in a soft voice. "He told me that I should let you go on as if nothing has changed, but, Hermione, you know everything has changed. I just wanted you to be aware of the situation."

"Thank you, Minerva. I really appreciate you telling me this." Hermione sighed, before perking up a bit. "Did you say Percy told you this?"

Minerva nodded curtly. "Percy is a spy, although no one knows this but Professor Dumbledore and me."

"But Molly and Arthur should know! It would save them both a lot of pain."

"They can't. Percy's so-called feud with his family only strengthens the Ministry's trust in him. He has access that no one else is able to get, not even Kingsley."

Hermione was quiet for a moment. "We've been judging him wrong all this time."

"And you must continue to do so," Minerva said. "No one must know, Hermione."

"I understand, Minerva. I won't tell anyone, I swear," Hermione vowed.

"Good, now why don't you tell me about Paris?"

The two of them sat talking in Minerva's office late into the night.

 


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over for me. Thank you all for your continued support. It means a lot to me! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Twenty  
**

The week flew by quickly, and suddenly, it was Saturday.

Today was the day that Hermione would see Sirius again. The thought made her both nervous and excited.

She was nervous because she knew what today meant. It meant that it was time for them to consummate their marriage. She loathed that it was an every week thing. It wasn't the sex that she loathed — she liked that part just fine— it was the forcefulness of it. They had to have sex whether they liked it or not.

Her stomach fluttered. A large part of her wished that Sirius would sleep with her because he wanted to, not because he was forced to. She wanted him to be attracted to her. She wanted him to desire her because it was what he truly wanted.

But those were just wishes of a silly school girl. Hermione wasn't a fool. She knew that Sirius was only with her because of the stupid law. He didn't actually want to be with her.

Despite her depressive mood, Hermione was still excited. She missed Sirius and was eager to see him.

She also wanted to get out of the castle. Being in the castle was starting to break Hermione down. All people did was talk about her and spread rumours. She was trying to be strong, but Hermione was sick of it. A person could only take so much.

Getting away from it all would do her some good.

Hermione finished getting dressed for the day, putting on some jeans and a sweater. The October air was rather chilly here in the mountains, and she was sure they'd be getting snow here soon.

Pulling on her boots, she checked her appearance in the mirror. She dabbed some lip gloss on, and then deemed herself perfect.

Walking from her bedroom, Hermione made her way to the Common Room. It was empty, as there were still only three students living in the wing.

Hermione checked the time and knew that Ron and Harry were outside waiting for her. Neither of them had left her side, and thankfully, she hadn't had a run-in with Malfoy. He had given her a few dirty looks, but he hadn't approached her. He was leaving her alone for now, at least that's how it seemed.

Leaving the Common Room through the portrait, Hermione was greeted by the boys.

"I am so glad it's the weekend," she muttered. "Come on, I'm starved. Let's get breakfast."

"Sounds good to me," Ron said. "I'm starving, too."

She could help but laugh. "Ron, you're always starving. I don't understand how you can eat as much as you do and still always be hungry."

"Ginny's the same way," Harry muttered under his breath.

"It's a Weasley thing," Ron explained. "We can all eat. You've seen my Mum's cooking, haven't you? You know she makes a lot of food, and it always gets eaten."

"What's the plan for today?" Harry asked as they entered the Great Hall.

"Well, I'm going to Grimmauld Place for the weekend at noon. What would you like to do before then?"

"Why don't we go down to the Quidditch pitch?" Ron suggested.

"But what about Hermione? I doubt she wants to do that," Harry protested, shaking his head at Ron. It was like Ron didn't even know Hermione sometimes.

"No, that's fine," Hermione said. "I can grab a book from my room and read while you practice."

Harry didn't look convinced. "Are you sure? We could definitely do something less boring."

Hermione smiled. "Really, Harry, I'm sure. After breakfast, just let me nab a book. I don't mind reading at all, you know that."

"If you're sure," Harry said.

"Positive," Hermione said, taking a seat at the table. She helped herself some bacon and eggs. By the time she took her first bite, Ron had already eaten three whole pancakes.

"Hello, Hermione!" Ginny greeted, taking a seat next to Harry. "Excited to see Sirius?"

Blushing, Hermione nodded. "I am, actually. I'm ready for some peace and quiet."

"Understandable. I wonder what Mrs. Black's portrait will say when she sees you. Or Kreacher! You'll have to tell me what they say!" Ginny said with a laugh.

Hermione groaned. "I totally forget about that stupid painting and Kreacher. I'm sure they'll both give me a hard time."

Ron snickered. "Kreacher didn't like you to begin with, I'm sure he really won't like you now."

Rolling her eyes, Hermione huffed. "Thanks for making me feel better, Ron."

"Kreacher hates everyone, Hermione, you know that. There's no reason to take his hatred personally."

"Yes, well, I'll be sure to let you all know how that goes."

"Please do," Ginny said. The redhead pretended to eat her breakfast, but Hermione knew better. She knew that Ginny was most likely nudging Harry's foot under the table.

Breakfast was finished in silence.

Once they were done, Harry walked Hermione back to her room so she could grab a book to read. Ron, meanwhile, had grabbed both his and Harry's brooms so they could fly. He also got quick permission from Professor McGonagall to use the Quidditch pitch.

Hermione took a seat in the stands, making herself comfortable. She watched Ron chase Harry around on his broom before turning her attention to her book. Opening it up, she took a deep breath. Hermione loved the smell of an old book.

She had grabbed a book at random, but she was surprised it was this one. The Return of the Native was one of her mother's favourites, but she didn't care that much for it. Still, a book was a book. She began to read.

* * *

"Hermione, are you ready?" Harry shouted up the stairs to Hermione.

"Almost!" she shouted back. Hermione quickly packed a few more belongings into her overnight bag. Swinging it over her shoulder, she thanked Merlin for weightless charms.

Running down the stairs, she saw Harry was waiting for her. He had offered to walk her to Professor McGonagall's office so Hermione could Floo to Grimmauld Place.

"I hope you have fun," Harry offered as they walked through the halls.

Hermione smirked, glancing at Harry from the side of her face. "Do you realize what you just said? You do know why I'm going there, don't you?"

Realization flashed across Harry's face. "Gross," he muttered, shaking his hand. "Eww, um, I didn't mean that."

Hermione smiled, rather smug. "I hope I have fun," she said, winking at Harry.

"No, stop!" Harry said. "I really don't want to think about it. I keep forgetting that it's Sirius you're married to, and that you two…" he broke off, shuddering. "Please, never mention that again."

"You're the one that brought it up!" Hermione pointed out. "Besides, we're all adults."

"Doesn't mean I want to think about you two," Harry pointed out, still cringing.

"Sorry," she said, not feeling sorry at all. Looking up, she saw they reached Professor McGonagall's office. "Well, this is my stop."

Harry gave her a tight hug. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Harry," Hermione said, stepping out of his embrace. "I'll find you and Ron once I get back."

"Okay." Harry watched as she slipped inside their Head of House's office.

"Right on time, Hermione," Minerva greeted her with a smile. "The fireplace is yours to use."

"Thank you, Minerva," Hermione said, moving towards it. "I should be back around three o'clock tomorrow."

"I'll be here," Minerva promised. "Take care." She returned to the stack of essays she was grading.

Hermione took a handful of Floo powder before stepping into the fireplace. "Twelve Grimmauld Place!" she shouted, throwing the powder to her feet.

 


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over for me. Thanks for all the sweet reviews! There's some lemony goodness in this chapter so I hope you all enjoy! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Twenty-One  
**

Seconds later, she tumbled out of the fireplace into someone's arms. Looking up, she saw Sirius smiling at her.

"All right there, Hermione?" he asked.

Completely mortified, she nodded. Hermione stepped out of his arms. "I'm fine, Sirius. I'm usually not so clumsy when I Floo."

"It's all right," he assured her. "Even the most seasoned Floo users can trip. I fell flat on my face in front of the Minister once."

"Really?" Hermione asked. "Which Minister?"

"Millicent Bagnold, the minister before Fudge," Sirius explained. "I was running late for a meeting, and when I exited the Floo, I fell right on my face. Rather embarrassing as I had just finished Auror training."

Hermione chuckled. "I can imagine. Luckily, I haven't done anything that embarrassing just yet."

Sirius smirked. "Well, it's good to see you." His eyes roamed over her.

She blushed. "It's good to see you too, Sirius."

The two of them stood in the kitchen, staring at each other awkwardly. Hermione bounced on the balls of her feet before making a quick decision. She kissed him quickly on the lips before pulling away, her face now bright red.

Sirius cleared his throat, not wanting an awkward silence to descend between them. "Er, is there anything you'd like to do today?"

Hermione gave a small shrug; her mind still stuck on the kiss. It had only lasted a second, but it was more than enough to make her knees weak. His lips were soft but slightly chapped, just as she remembered them.

"Hermione?" he asked, concerned about the blank look on her face.

She quickly snapped out of it, blushing. "Sorry, my mind was somewhere else. But no, there's nothing specific I wanted to do today. Whatever you want is good for me."

"All right," Sirius said. "We do need to go to Gringotts so that I can add your name to my vault. You need to sign some papers to make it legal."

Hermione looked at him, surprise etched on her face. "Sirius, you don't have to do that. The law doesn't require you to give me money, or even share an account with me."

Sirius smirked, looking amused. "No, Hermione, I don't have to do it at all. I want to do it."

"Why?" she asked, looking up at him.

He took a few steps, closing the distance between them. Reaching down, he tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "Because you're my wife, that's why. What's mine is yours, Hermione."

Her heart beat loudly in her chest. "Really, Sirius, you don't have to."

"I want to," he insisted. "Please, let me do this for you. I have more money than I'll ever know what to do with, so please let me share it."

"Sirius," she protested softly.

He placed a finger over her lips, silencing her. "No, Hermione, my mind is made up. If anything were to happen to me, I want you and our future children to be all right."

Hermione's thoughts swirled. Sirius was standing so close, and all she could smell was his delicious cologne. She wanted to close the distance between them and snog him senseless.

She suddenly realised what he said. _Children. He said 'our future children'._ The law only required one child, but Sirius said children, as in more than one. He wanted to have more than one child with her. That must have meant that he did see this marriage as something real, and not just a sham.

Too excited to care, Hermione threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as her tongue ran across his lower lip. She hoped he would let her in… And he did.

Sirius relaxed into the kiss, wrapped his arms around her small waist. He opened his mouth, allowing her tongue entrance. She tasted sweet, like warm vanilla sugar and something that was pure _Hermione_.

His hands moved lower, grasping her arse. He gave it a firm squeeze, causing Hermione to moan. He felt himself harden and knew that he desired his wife more than he cared to admit.

Moving his mouth to her neck, Sirius gently kissed and sucked the skin there.

Hermione arched into him, pressing herself against him. "Sirius," she moaned, her fingers clutching at him.

"What is it?" Sirius mumbled, rubbing his nose in the sensitive spot beneath her ear. "Tell me what you want, _wife_."

"More!" she cried out. "Sirius, _please_."

Sirius didn't need any more encouragement. He scooped Hermione up and carried her over to the kitchen table. Sitting her down on the edge of the table, he stood between her legs. He ran his hands over her jumper, caressing her breasts. Making his way to her stomach, he gripped the edge of the jumper and pulled it up over her head. She was wearing a light pink tank top underneath, and she looked delectable.

"On the kitchen table?" she asked, reaching out to undo the buttons on his dress shirt.

"I've been waiting so long for you, Hermione," he answered honestly. "All week I've been looking forward to this. I couldn't get the memory of your beautiful body out of my mind." He leant forward, cupping her cheek as he kissed her. "I want you so much, wife."

Hermione's eyes widened. "You want me, Sirius? You want me because _you_ want me, not because of some stupid law?"

"Of course I want you!" Sirius quickly said. "I felt guilty at first because I wanted you so much. But we're married now, and there's nothing wrong with a man wanting his wife."

She nodded. "I feel the same way, Sirius. But I wanted you to want me for me, and hearing that you do means so much." She had finally finished undoing the buttons of his shirt and slid the garment off. "Beautiful," she murmured.

"You're the beautiful one," Sirius countered. Reaching towards her, he made quick work of removing her tank top and bra. He cupped her breasts as he closed his eyes. "Absolutely perfect."

"Take your pants off," Hermione commanded, eager to feel her husband between her legs. Reaching down, she undid her own jeans. She kicked off her boots and then kicked off her jeans and knickers. Looking up at him, she blushed when she realised she was sitting fully naked on the kitchen table.

"You look delicious, pet," he murmured as he removed his own pants. "What shall I do with you first?"

Hermione squirmed, rubbing her thighs together. "Please, Sirius, no teasing. I'm more than ready for you."

He approached her, one hand gripping her waist as the other slid between her legs. His finger brushed her clit lightly, causing Hermione to moan. "So wet," he murmured. "You really desire me this much?"

"I do, Sirius," she moaned, leaning back slightly as he rubbed her slit. "Please."

"As you wish," he murmured. He stroked himself for a few moments, already aching at the sight in front of him. Hermione was panting heavily; her cheeks flushed as she watched him with wide eyes.

Grasping his member, he aligned himself between her legs. He joined them in one swift thrust. A small groan escaped his lips as he did so. She was tighter than he remembered. She was pure bliss. Being inside her velvet heat was _pure bliss_.

"Sirius," she moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck. She held him tightly as he began to thrust into her. Hermione planted kisses along his jawline as he wound her body tighter and tighter.

Gripping her waist tightly, Sirius captured her lips in a kiss. It was filled with passion and lust, leaving his body aching for more. At her soft moans, Sirius increased his speed, thrusting into her roughly.

"Ohh," Hermione moaned, feeling herself grow closer to climax. "More, Sirius, faster."

Sirius abruptly pushed her backwards onto the table. He moved with her, so they were both now lying on the table. Grasping her hands, he pinned them above her head.

Hermione's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but think back to Ginny's words. It did seem her husband was a bit of the rough and tumble type, which she didn't mind one bit.

"You like this, don't you?" he asked, leaning down so his mouth was near her ear.

She shivered at his words, nodding. "Sirius," she moaned.

"You like that I'm fucking you on the kitchen table? You like the idea that anyone could walk in here at any moment." He continued to thrust into her, holding himself as he did so. "I had no idea you were an exhibitionist."

"Neither did I," she answered breathlessly. Her insides clenched. She was so close… So, so close.

"Maybe you want to be found?" Sirius asked. "Maybe you want everyone to see the prim and proper Hermione Granger being fucked on the table roughly?"

She had never thought she'd be into dirty talk, but Sirius's words were driving her wild. She wanted more… Oh, sweet Merlin, she wanted more of him.

"It's Black, not Granger," she panted, looking into his grey eyes.

A slow smile spread onto his face. "Yes, it is. You're mine, Mrs Black, and I am never letting you go." His movement became frenzied as he thrust into her with an urgency that wasn't there before. Hermione moved her hips upwards, meeting his thrusts. "You're mine, Hermione. Mine." He lowered his head and nuzzled her neck. "Say it! Tell me I'm yours," he commanded harshly.

She heard him speaking, but she didn't register what he was saying. She was lost in the sensations that she was feeling.

When she didn't answer him, Sirius growled. He bit down on the sensitive spot, where her neck and shoulder met.

Hermione let out a shout, coming with a force that she had never experienced before. She wriggled her wrists free from his hands, moving them to his neck. She gripped him tightly as she rode out her orgasm, thrusting against him quickly. "Sirius," she panted. "I'm yours; I'm yours." She repeated the phrase as her body hummed with pleasure.

Sirius growled, thrusting into her one last time before coming as well. He captured her lips in a bruising kiss as he emptied himself into her. He continued thrusting until they had both finished.

He slid out of her, and Hermione whimpered at the loss. Sirius grinned, leaning down to kiss her.

Slowly, Hermione sat up. "That was… Something else."

"Are you all right? I didn't mean to be so rough with you," Sirius admitted. He pulled out his wand and cast a cleansing charm on them both.

"You were fine," Hermione assured him. "It was a bit unexpected, but I enjoyed it. Do you like rough sex?"

Sirius nodded. "I do, but if you're uncomfortable with it, I won't be that way with you."

"No, it's fine," she said, smiling. "I liked it, Sirius, really. It was enjoyable."

He moved to her, kissing her lightly before helping her get dressed. As he hooked her bra, she let out a small giggle. "What?" he asked.

She turned to face him as she put on her tank top. "I was just imagining what would happen if someone walked in on that."

Sirius smirked. "No doubt I'd be lectured on abusing you and the impropriety of our actions."

"And I would have been mortified."

"Don't be. This may be the Order's Headquarters, but it's my home. I'm free to do what I like wherever I like. If no one else likes it, they can find somewhere else to hold meetings."

Hermione grabbed her wand and did a small charm to fix her hair. After their bout of sex, it now resembled a bird's nest.

"I did miss you," she answered honestly. "It's been hard being at school."

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I know it's going to be rough, but people will get over it."

"You really think so?" she asked.

He smirked. "I know so. Just wait until someone else gets married. The spotlight will soon be off you."

Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed him.

There was a noise in the corner. It was Kreacher, who was looking at them both in disgust.

"Kreacher!" Sirius shouted. "What are you doing here?"

"Nasty mudblood dirtying my Mistress's line." The small elf sneered at them.

"Don't use that word in our presence!" Sirius commanded. "Hermione is your Mistress now, and you will obey her. That is an order."

"I will not take orders from a blood-traitor and mudblood."

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "You will, Kreacher. You are forced to serve me, whether you like it or not. Hermione is the matriarch of the noble and most ancient house of Black, and you will serve her."

Kreacher spat at their feet before shuffling off.

"Sorry about that," Sirius said, giving her a small smile.

Hermione shrugged. "Honestly, it's what I expected. And besides, that's nothing compared to what your mother will say when she finds out."

Sirius frowned, shaking his head. "I need to get her portrait removed, but we've tried everything."

A small smile appeared on her face. "Leave it to me, Sirius. You know I love doing research."

"If you could rid the house of my mother's portrait, I would love you forever, Hermione."

Her eyes widened at his words. Sirius, realising what he said, also paused. They both stared at each other, faces red, and not speaking.

Eventually, Sirius cleared his throat. "Are you ready to head to Gringotts?"

Hermione nodded, eager to get out of the house.

* * *

Sirius wrapped his arm around Hermione, holding her close to him as they walked through the busy street of Diagon Alley. While it was a pain to manoeuvre through the street, Sirius was grateful for the crowd. People were too busy to notice the two of them walking.

"Almost there, love," he whispered in her ear.

They finally made their way to Gringotts, entering the ancient building. Walking inside, Sirius made his way to a goblin teller.

"How may I help you?" a goblin whose nameplate read Blordak asked.

"I need to add my wife to my account, as well as open a separate account."

"Names?" Blordak asked, not looking up from the paper he was writing on.

"Sirius and Hermione Black," Sirius answered.

That caused the goblin to look up. He looked at them both. "So it is. Do you have your key, Lord Black?"

"Of course." Sirius dug around in his pocket. "Here it is," he said, presenting the key to Blordak.

"Very good. Do you wish to see the vault?"

He shook his head. "No, not at the moment." He looked to Hermione, who nodded in agreement with him.

"Very well," Blordak said. "Let me produce the proper paperwork for you both to sign. I will also procure a key to the vault for Lady Black."

Blordak stepped away for a moment, leaving them both alone.

"Why is he calling us Lord and Lady?" Hermione asked Sirius quietly.

"Because you're part of an ancient family, kitten. Black is an important family name in the upper circle of the wizarding world. We have as much pull as the Malfoy family, but I don't use it or flaunt it as they do."

Blordak returned the next moment, a stack of papers in his hand. "I need you both to sign this," he motioned towards the paperwork before handing Sirius a quill. "I also must register Lady Black's wand signature to the account." He glanced at Hermione. "If I may?"

Hermione hesitated momentarily before handing Blordak her wand. The goblin waved it before running it along the paperwork. He then handed Hermione back her wand and a quill. "Sign here, please," Blordak asked, pointing to a line.

She did as he requested and signed her name. She had almost forgotten to write Black instead of Granger, but had remembered when Sirius gave her a small nudge. His touch had reminded her that she was indeed Hermione Black now, not Granger.

Blordak had explained the bank's policy on joint accounts and what she needed to do if she needed to withdraw or deposit money. Hermione, however, didn't pay him much attention. She watched Sirius as he listened to Blordak. He nodded every so often, and a small smirk would appear on his face. Hermione realised she found his smirk adorable.

"That's all," Blordak finished. "Have a nice day, Lord and Lady Black."

Hermione nodded, realising that they were finished at Gringotts. "What now?" she asked as they stepped into Diagon Alley. As usual, the streets were filled with people.

"We've got the whole day, er, apart from this evening. Remus and Tonks are joining us for dinner."

"All right," Hermione nodded. Tonks was rather fun to be around, so she didn't mind that they were coming for dinner. "A double date then?"

His cheeks turned red. "It was Tonks's idea. She was the one who suggested it."

Hermione just smirked. She loved seeing Sirius blush, and it seemed that it was happening quite often today. "Do you mind if we stop at Flourish and Blotts? I want to see if they have _A Beginner's Guide to Becoming an Animagus_."

"You want to become an Animagus?" Sirius asked her, glancing at her in surprise. "I had no idea."

She blushed. "Well, I had hoped to ask Professor McGonagall if she would tutor me in the art of training, as a sort of project."

"You could have always asked me, you know," Sirius said, a note of hurt in his voice. "I would have been more than happy to help you."

Hermione reached out and took his hand. "Sirius, I know you would have been more than happy to help me." She squeezed his hand. "I just wanted to be safe, and I know that Professor McGonagall has experience in teaching students the process. Trust me, love, it isn't anything I have against you."

Sirius smiled at her use of the word love. "Come on, let's head to the bookstore."

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Both Sirius and Hermione turned around. They froze when they saw Lucius Malfoy standing in the alley. Hermione gripped Sirius's hand tightly and moved, so she was slightly behind him.

"Malfoy, what do you want?" Sirius spat, his hand gripping his wand tightly.

"I just wanted to see how the _happy_ couple were doing," he sneered at them.

"That's none of your business," Hermione retorted angrily. She fingered her wand, ready to snap into action if need be.

Lucius smirked. "I wouldn't get too comfortable if I were either of you. You never know what could happen."

"Is that a threat?" Sirius asked, his eyes narrowed. "I don't take kindly to being threatened in public."

"Take it how you wish," Lucius said with a wave of his hand. "I would just watch my backs if I were you two." Lucius turned and walked in the opposite direction.

Sirius sneered. "Come on, Hermione, let's go." He took her to the Apparition point where he Apparated them both home.

 


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over for me. Thank you all for the amazing reviews! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Twenty-Two  
**

They landed on the doorstep of number twelve. Sirius quickly opened the door, and they stepped inside. Once inside, he turned to Hermione. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "I'm fine, Sirius, just a bit shaken up." She caught her breath and realised her body was trembling slightly.

"Come on; I'll make you a cup of tea." He took her hand and led her back towards the kitchen. She took a seat at the table as he went about preparing them both tea.

"I didn't expect to see him today," Hermione said after a few moments of silence. "I feel like an idiot."

A smirk appeared on Sirius's face. "I very much doubt you're an idiot, Hermione. You're far too smart to be one."

"But I didn't feel smart back there," Hermione protested. "I felt like a small child in need of protection. When I heard his voice…" she trailed off. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. "I just froze, Sirius. I didn't know what to do."

"Hermione, you don't ever need to be afraid," Sirius assured her, placing a cup of tea in front of her. "I will always keep you safe. I promised I would."

"But what if it happens again? He's obviously planning something… He practically admitted it."

Sirius shrugged. "You'll be with Harry or Ron. Hermione, please don't worry. You're my wife, and I'm your husband. Nothing will change that."

She took a sip of her tea and let out a content sigh. "Ah, I needed that."

"A cup of tea always cheers me up," Sirius responded.

"You don't strike me as a tea drinker," Hermione said with a smile.

Sirius flushed. "Er, I may put a little something extra in mine to make it more… potent."

Hermione arched her brow.

"There's nothing wrong with that!" he protested. "Besides, that certainly calms my nerves."

"I never got that book," Hermione stated abruptly, frowning.

Sirius watched her carefully. "Hermione, it's fine. I'll order it by owl and have them send it to Hogwarts."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. It's not that big of a deal," Sirius responded. "Now what would you like to do? We've got three hours before Tonks and Remus come over for dinner."

"I think I'd like to sit in the library. Would that be all right?"

"Of course it would," Sirius said, standing. "Do you want me to walk you there?"

Hermione shook her head. "I very much doubt anything will happen to me in my own home." She froze at her words. Yes, she supposed Number Twelve Grimmauld Place was her home now.

Sirius looked incredibly pleased with himself. "Yes, Hermione, this is your home now. Feel free to decorate it as you will. Merlin knows the house needs a feminine touch."

"All right." She stood and gently kissed his cheek. "I'll see you later, love."

Sirius wrapped his arms around her before she could walk away. "How about a proper kiss, wife?"

Hermione flushed at the closeness of their bodies. She could feel her cheeks grow warmer with every passing second. Looking at Sirius, she saw he was staring at her intently. Standing on her tiptoes, Hermione gave him a quick kiss on the lips. She then moved out of his embrace and headed towards the stairs.

She groaned when the moth-eaten velvet curtains flew open. She placed her hands over her ears and braced herself for Walburga Black's curses. Sure enough, she could hear the screams and insults even though she had blocked her ears.

"Mudblood scum!" she screeched. "Dirtying the house of my fathers!"

Hermione moved forward and started to tug the curtains shut.

"Disgusting freak!" she spat at Hermione, spittle flying from her mouth. "Scum of the earth."

Hermione paused, looking at Walburga carefully. She knew the portrait was stuck to the wall by a permanent sticking charm, but there had to be something she could do.

"Listen here, you vile woman," Hermione said, her voice low and menacing. She pointed her wand at the portrait. "I'm going to find a way to remove your painting, mark my words."

"Mudblood scum," Walburga hissed. "I'd like to see you try."

Determined to find a way to get rid of the ghastly portrait, Hermione headed to the library. She perused the books on the wall until she found the one she needed. It was _A Guide to Household Charms_. She hoped that there would be something in there that could be of some help.

Hermione curled up in the red chair near the fireplace. Pointing her wand at the fireplace, she started a small fire. She made herself comfortable and opened her book.

* * *

Sirius glanced at the clock and realised that it was almost time for Tonks and Remus to arrive. He was glad they decided on getting Thai takeaway instead of cooking. Tonks offered to pick it up from the Muggle restaurant down the street on her way here. They had gotten a bit of everything as no one was sure what Hermione liked.

"Better go get her," Sirius murmured to himself. "No doubt she's gotten herself lost in her book."

He headed up the stairs to the library. He had heard his mother yelling earlier and had wondered how Hermione had taken it. Hopefully, she wasn't too upset. His mother could be a cruel woman. She always had been, even when Sirius was a child.

"Hermione, there you are," he said when he saw her curled up in a chair, a book lying open in her lap.

"Sirius," she responded, smiling when she saw him. "There's something I want to ask you."

He took a seat in the chair near hers. "Ask away."

Hermione closed the book and shifted in her seat. She gave him a smile that showed she was clearly up to something. "You said this was my home, right? And that I could do what I wanted with it?"

"Yes?" Sirius answered carefully. He didn't like the wicked look that had appeared in her eyes.

"Good, I want to show you something." She stood and headed out of the library, Sirius following close behind. They walked down the stairs and stopped in the hallway. "What do you see?"

Sirius arched his brow at her. "My mother's portrait, along with a lot of my other annoying relatives, and some creepy House Elves' heads."

"Now imagine it gone."

"I'm sorry, what?" Sirius asked, looking at her. "What do you mean gone?"

"I mean gone," she repeated. "The whole wall is gone."

"But then it won't be a hallway," Sirius pointed out.

"We don't need a hallway. Haven't you ever heard of an open concept? If we get rid of this wall, then we'll have the living room opened up wide. The kitchen and living room won't be separate anymore, making the space feel larger. Besides, it would really let some light in."

Sirius glanced at the wall, considering her words. "Where did you come up with this idea?"

Hermione blushed. "I was trying to figure out how to get rid of your mother. Unfortunately, the sticking charm is permanent, so there's no way to remove the portrait from the wall. So then I started thinking about everything else wrong with the wall. All your family members do is argue and scream, and the house-elf heads are creepy. Getting rid of the wall would solve all those problems." She glanced at him. "What do you think?"

He grinned as he moved towards her. He picked her up in his arms and twirled her around. When he placed her back on her feet, he gave her a quick kiss. "You are a genius! I don't know why I didn't think of that before when I tried removing her portrait."

Hermione blushed even more. "I just figured that might be the only way to get rid of her. But you like my idea?"

"I love it," Sirius replied. "I'll talk to Remus about finding someone to help us remove the wall."

"What about Arthur and Molly?" Hermione suggested. "They built the Burrow, so I'm sure they're both good with constructions charms."

Sirius gave her another quick kiss. "Once again, Hermione, you're a genius. Don't know what I'd do without you."

"Me either," she whispered, smiling at him. She could have been stuck married to Malfoy or another Death Eater. What would have happened to her then? She imagined torture, rape, and other sorts of cruel behaviours. She hugged Sirius tightly, overcome with emotion for just how much he'd done for her. "Thank you," she whispered against his chest.

Sirius returned the hug. "There's no need to thank me, Hermione." He pressed a kiss to the top of her bushy curls. "I consider myself to be quite lucky to have someone like you in my life. You're a very kind woman, and I have to admit, I'm sort of enjoying being married to you." He chuckled. "Who'd have thought?"

Hermione looked up at him, pleased with his words. "Me too," she replied. She was glad to hear that he was enjoying their marriage like she was. It wasn't really that bad of an arrangement.

"Hello!"

They both turned to see the front door open, and Remus and Tonks stepped inside. As usual, Tonks tripped over something, causing Mrs Black to start screeching about "Mudbloods" and "Impurities!" Soon, the other portraits chimed in, and it was a loud mess.

"Sorry!" Tonks shouted over the mess. "I've got the food!" She held up a brown paper bag.

"Let's go to the kitchen!" Sirius shouted. He shut his mother's curtains and quickly left the hall. Once they were all in the kitchen, he shut the door. "That wall is definitely coming down."

Remus perked up at that bit of news. "What did you say?"

Sirius grinned. "Hermione had this wonderful idea of bringing that whole wall down. We'll get rid of all my family members in one go!"

"Brilliant idea," Tonks said, placing the food on the table. "We got a bit of everything, Hermione." She unpacked the food while Remus got plates and silverware. Sirius set about getting everyone drinks.

"Smells delicious," Hermione commented, her stomach growling.

"We've got Tom Yam Goong, Pad Thai, Chicken Cashew Nuts, Fried Rice, Green Curry Chicken, and yellow curry." She pointed to each dish as she listed them. "Oh, and there's curry puffs, Remus's favourite." Tonks smiled at Remus.

The four sat down to eat. Hermione put a little of everything on her plate, eager to try it all. She hadn't had Thai food in a very long time. Her parents didn't care for it very much, so they rarely ordered it.

Dinner was going well. Tonks was sharing the latest on a raid they had done on a lower status Death Eater family and Hermione was listening intently when something brushed against her upper thigh. She almost dropped her fork when she realised it was Sirius's hand and that it was now moving up even higher.

"All right, Hermione?" Remus asked. "You look rather flushed."

Hermione blushed even more. "It's just the spices in the food. It's rather hot."

"That's curry for you," Tonks said, giving her a knowing wink.

Hermione did her best to continue to eat, but it was difficult with Sirius's hand now drawing circles on her thigh. She refused to look at him, however, because she knew if she did, she would lose it completely. She could just imagine the little smirk on his face right now. She'd get him back, though.

The rest of dinner went by quickly, and soon Tonks and Remus were going home. Hermione hugged them each good-bye and thanked them both for coming.

After they left, Hermione let out an exaggerated yawn. She stretched her arms upwards and arched her back. "I'm exhausted."

Sirius appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed a kiss to her neck before resting his chin on her shoulder. "It is rather late. Why don't we turn in?"

"Sounds like a lovely idea." Hermione pulled herself from his arms and headed up the stairs. She swung her hips a little more than she usually did knowing that he was watching. She grabbed her things from his — their — room and then headed to the bathroom. She took her time getting ready, making sure she looked great. For her night clothes, she decided on a small tee shirt and some cheeky little knickers.

Checking over her appearance in the mirror, Hermione smirked. "This will teach him to mess with me."

Hermione left the bathroom and returned to the bedroom. She was pleased to see Sirius was sitting up in the bed. He wasn't wearing a shirt so she could see all of his tattoos.

"You look nice," he purred, smirking at her as she sat on her side of the bed. "And you smell lovely as well."

"Thank you," Hermione said, smiling at him. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips before turning over on her side. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight?" Sirius asked, a frown on his face. He scooted closer to her and nuzzled her neck. "Are you sure you want to sleep?"

"Yes," she replied. "You're not the only one who can tease."

"Tease?" Sirius asked. "Awh, come on, kitten. I was only messing around."

"Mmm, and it was entertaining at the time. I'm sure you knew the effect it had on me."

"Oh, do tell," Sirius purred.

"I was aroused," she said, turning over to face him. A small smirk was on her face. "You had me wet between the legs," she purred. "I wanted you so bad."

"Did you now?" He moved to kiss her, but she quickly turned away. "Hermione," he whined.

"No, the mood has passed. I'm rather tired now, love, so I'll speak to you in the morning." She pulled the covers up over her. "Sweet dreams, Sirius."

"Damn minx," Sirius cursed before huffing.

 


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over for me. Thank you all for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I know a lot of my updates have been slow, and for that I apologize. I do try my best to write when I can and I promise I won't ever abandon a story! That being said, I hope you all enjoy this update. xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Twenty-Three  
**

The next morning Hermione awoke to the feel of kisses being pressed to her neck. She let out a sleepy moan as she rolled over to face Sirius. "Good morning," she murmured before kissing him.

"Good morning," he said, quickly positioning himself above her. He moved his lips to her neck and kissed her soft skin there. "Mmm, you taste absolutely delicious." He nipped at her skin, causing Hermione to giggle.

"What are you doing, Sirius?" she asked as his hands moved lower down her body.

"I intend to make love with my wife since she insisted on being a tease last night," Sirius purred. His hands grasped the bottom of her shirt and swiftly pulled it up over her head. "Beautiful."

"But, Sirius!" she squealed, covering her chest. "We…"

He silenced her with a kiss. "Hermione, there's nothing wrong with this. It's perfectly all right for us to have sex more than once."

She blushed intensely at his words. "Are – are you sure? I know this isn't like a real marriage."

Sirius let out a growl at her words. "It is a real marriage," Sirius insisted. "You are my wife, Hermione. Don't you ever forget it."

"I won't forget it," she mumbled, embarrassed. "I didn't mean that you weren't my husband, I just—"

He silenced her with a kiss. "Hermione, stop rambling and over-thinking. Please, just feel, all right?" She didn't respond, and he let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I just thought that we were a real couple."

"We are!" she insisted, frowning. "I'm sorry, Sirius. Can't you see this is complicated for me?"

He sat up and covered her naked chest with the blanket. "I know, Hermione. It's complicated for me too. I don't want you to feel that I'm pressuring you into a sexual relationship."

"You're not!" Hermione said, sitting up in bed. She still held the blanket up to cover herself. "Sirius, I know you're not pressuring me. I don't feel like you are."

"Well, now I feel like I have been. I thought you were feeling the same way as I was…" He turned and headed towards the bathroom.

"Sirius!" Hermione cried, standing up from the bed and chasing after him. She let out a frustrated scream when she saw the door was locked. She tugged on it a few times before summoning her wand. "Sirius, open it before I open it myself!" She could hear the water running.

Had he seriously started taking a shower? He really walked away from her and took a shower when there was so much they obviously needed to talk about. Her heart clenched painfully.

"Sirius!" she shouted once more. Pointing her wand at the door, she shouted, " _Alohomora_!" The door unlocked and swung open.

Hermione stepped inside the bathroom and saw that Sirius was indeed in the shower. She decided before she even realised it. She slipped her underwear off and placed her wand on the counter. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the shower.

"Hermione," he murmured, his eyes wide when he saw she had joined him in the shower.

"I want you," she whispered, looking into his silver eyes. "Please don't ever doubt my desire for you. I… I care for you more every day, Sirius. Please don't push me away."

"You care for me?" he asked, the water running down his body.

"I do," she insisted. "I really do, Sirius." She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him hungrily, their teeth and tongues colliding as they moved back against the shower wall.

"You're so sexy," he murmured, his hands going to her waist. "Do you know how sexy you look right now? With the water running down your curvaceous body?"

Hermione slid to her knees and grasped his erection. She took him into her mouth, and Sirius let out a moan, his head lolling back. The water splashed down his chest towards his cock, which was disappearing deeper and deeper into her mouth. Her hands gripped his thighs, her nails digging in deeper with every passing moment.

"Fuck," he cursed, feeling his bollocks tighten. "Oh, fuck, _Hermione_."

She released his cock from her mouth with a _pop_! Peering up at him, she grinned. "You look rather attractive from this angle."

"And you look sexy as hell from this one," he growled, peering down at her. "But come up here, I want to feel you."

Hermione stood and allowed Sirius to manoeuvre her so she was now facing away from him. She placed her hands on the shower wall to brace herself as he moved his hand lower and slid two fingers into her. She arched back into his chest, one of her hands reaching around and grasping his thigh. "Sirius," she whimpered as he increased his speed.

"So beautiful," he murmured, pressing kisses to her wet neck.

"I want you, Sirius," Hermione moaned, pressing her arse back against him. She could feel his erection pressed against her and moaned. "Please."

"Lean forward slightly," Sirius commanded, withdrawing his fingers from her tight heat. He placed one hand on her upper back and pressed down slightly. She was now bending at the waist. Knowing that she was more than ready for him, he pushed into her wet heat from behind. A strangled curse fell from his lips as he did so.

"Oh, _Sirius_ ," Hermione moaned. She braced her hands on the slippery shower wall, trying to hold herself steady as he pounded into her. Every thrust went deeper and deeper, causing Hermione's body to tighten in anticipation. She could feel her peak approaching quickly.

"Like this, don't you?" Sirius asked, gripping her hips so tightly he was sure to leave bruises.

Hermione let out a strangled moan. "Oh, please!"

"You're such a dirty slut," Sirius growled. His crude words sent a jolt of desire through her.

"Sirius," she cried. "Faster! Harder!" The muscles in her legs tensed up, before beginning to quiver as she grew closer to her orgasm.

"With pleasure," Sirius replied, increasing his thrusts. One of his hands slid from her waist to the spot between her legs. He flicked her clit a few times, causing her to cry out loudly.

"Fuck!" Hermione cursed, her orgasm crashing into her. She moaned loudly as her body shook in pleasure. She began to move her hips back against him, hoping to spur on his orgasm.

"Hermione," he growled. His balls tightened before he came with a growl. He thrust into her, his cock throbbing as he came. When he finished, he slowly slid out of her.

Hermione panted as she turned around to face him. She let her head rest against the shower wall. "Sirius," she murmured lovingly.

Sirius cupped her cheeks and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Oh, Hermione, you sweet, beautiful witch."

"That was amazing," Hermione said with a smile. "Thank you."

Sirius let out a laugh. "Hermione, there's no need to thank me. Now come on, why don't we get washed up?"

The two of them each took turns washing each other. Sirius paid extra attention to her backside, causing Hermione to swat him away repeatedly. Eventually, she allowed Sirius to excessively lather her with soap. As they finished showering, Hermione couldn't help but admire the sexy look on Sirius's face whenever he looked at her.

It appeared he enjoyed being with her and that thought made her smile. It seemed that things were certainly working out.

* * *

Hermione headed down the stairs to the kitchen for some breakfast. Her stomach growled in anticipation. She was starving.

She froze when she saw Dumbledore standing in the kitchen. Sirius was with him, a worried expression on his face.

"Headmaster, has something happened?"

Dumbledore looked at her, the twinkle in his eyes long gone. "I'm afraid, Mrs Black, that you'll have to return to the school with me now. I know it's a bit earlier than scheduled, but I need Sirius to do something for the Order."

Hermione bit her lip, looking to Sirius. He nodded to her, giving her a sympathetic glance. "All right, Headmaster. I'll just go grab my things." She turned around and headed upstairs, trying to ignore the twisting feeling in her gut.

She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Sirius bounding up the stairs. He caught up with her quickly and pulled her in his arms for a hug. He squeezed her tightly.

"Please promise me you'll be careful," Hermione whispered, her face pressed against his chest. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

"I promise I'll be safe, Hermione. Don't worry, okay? I used to be an Auror. I'm more than capable of being cautious." He looked down on her, an impish grin on his face.

"Just, please," she repeated. "I can't get Lucius's words out of my head. This could be a trap."

"I know," Sirius murmured. "Dumbledore thinks the same thing, but we can't take any chances. I need to go. Innocent lives are in danger."

Hermione resisted the urge to cry. She could feel her eyes watering, but did her best to keep her tears from spilling over. She only hugged him tighter, hoping that nothing bad would happen to him.

"Hermione, I'll be fine," Sirius said. He placed his hand under her chin and tilted her face upwards. "Please, don't cry." He wiped away the few tears that had fallen. "I'll see you next weekend, okay?"

She nodded. "All right, Sirius. Please, owl me as soon as you can to let me know you're all right."

"I will," he promised. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "Go on and get your things. I'll wait for you in the hall."

Hermione walked to his… their bedroom. Once inside, she grabbed her bag and made sure she had everything she needed. Glancing around the room, her eyes landed on the bed. It seemed that despite having sex twice, neither time had taken place on the bed. _There_ _'_ s always next week; she reminded herself.

Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Hermione headed towards the kitchen. She met with Sirius in the hallway and gave him a chaste kiss. He held her hand as they walked to the kitchen.

"Ready, Mrs Black?" Dumbledore asked. When she nodded, he motioned to the fireplace. "After you."

Hermione took one last look at Sirius before stepping into the fireplace. "Headmaster Dumbledore's office!" she shouted, disappearing in a puff of green smoke.

Dumbledore turned to Sirius once she was gone. "I need you to leave immediately. The Witmer family is in danger."

Sirius nodded. "I'll leave at once."

"Good luck," Dumbledore said to him before Flooing away as well.

* * *

Hermione headed towards the library. She didn't want to go to her room just yet. Her stomach tumbled uncomfortably. She was worried about Sirius.

Sirius had promised he would be careful, and Hermione was sure he would, but she couldn't help but feel like something bad was going to happen. Lucius had certainly threatened them yesterday and then, all of a sudden, there's trouble. Hermione could only suspect that Lucius had set a trap. In fact, she was sure of it.

_Nothing I can do about it,_ she thought sadly. Sirius had already left, and the only thing she could do was hope for the best.

She took a seat at her favourite spot in the library. There was a table in the back corner that not many students knew about. Hermione liked to spend her time doing homework there. It was quiet, and she was able to get her work done in peace.

"Hermione!"

Looking up, Hermione saw a panting Ginny standing there. "Ginny, hello."

Ginny took a seat. "I had just heard from Professor McGonagall that you had returned." Ginny glanced around, making sure that they were alone. "What were you thinking? Walking around alone like this."

Hermione glanced downwards. In truth, she had been so worried about Sirius that she didn't even think about the younger Malfoy. "Sorry, Ginny. My mind was elsewhere," she explained.

Ginny arched her brow. "Oh? Why don't you tell me about it?" Ginny raised her wand and said, " _Muffliato._ _"_

"Well, Sirius and I went to Diagon Alley yesterday, and we were confronted by Malfoy, Sr."

"What?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide with worry. "What happened?"

"He threatened us. Said that neither of us should get too comfortable in the marriage." Hermione frowned. "And then this morning, Dumbledore appears and tells Sirius that he needs to go somewhere on Order business." She shook her head, curls tumbling about. "It's certainly a trap, Ginny. I'm worried about Sirius."

Ginny frowned. "I'm sure he'll be all right. Sirius is more than capable of defending himself. Remember the Ministry? He's quite a skilled dueler."

"Yes, I know," Hermione murmured softly. She glanced at Ginny. "This weekend was just so nice."

A knowing smile appeared on Ginny's face. "Why don't you tell me all about it? What did you do?"

"It was nice. We went to Diagon Alley. He added me to his Gringotts accounts, which I thought was incredible. He said it was because he wanted our children and me to be okay financially if anything were to happen to him."

"That's actually really nice of him," Ginny stated. "It's not required in the law at all. He's just being caring."

"I know," Hermione said, a smile on her face. "It was sweet of him. After the Malfoy incident, we headed back to Grimmauld Place. I decided that in order to get rid of Sirius's Mum, we just have to take out the whole wall."

"Really?"

"Yes!" Hermione said with a nod. "We're going to open up the whole house. It'll be nice once it's finished."

"You're really putting your touch on the place, aren't you?"

"Of course I am," Hermione replied. "It is my home after all." She glanced at the time. "Oh, Ginny, come on, it's time for lunch."

"Oh, right!" Ginny said, standing. "I know the boys will be eager to see you're in one piece."

Hermione blushed, shaking her head. "I know they worry, but there's really no need. I am a capable fighter."

"I know," Ginny said. "They're just boys…"

Hermione laughed. "All right. Let's go." The two of them headed to the Great Hall for lunch.

 


	24. Chapter Twenty-Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over for me. Thank you all for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I'm so sorry it's taken my ages to get this to you all. However, I do hope you all enjoy this chapter! xx
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Twenty-Four  
**

Lunch passed without incident. Harry and Ron were very excited to see her and asked about her weekend. Hermione explained what had happened with Malfoy, which had upset them both. Harry was worried about Sirius, much like Hermione was.

"But, Hermione, there's something I need to tell you about," Harry whispered, leaning in close.

"What?" she inquired.

"So, I've been watching Malfoy with the Marauder's Map, and I still can't figure out where he goes."

Hermione arched her brow. "I thought you had solved that issue ages ago. Didn't you?" Harry shook his head. "So Malfoy isn't on the map? Right. Is he leaving the castle?"

Harry shook his head again. "I don't think so. It's like one minute he's there and the next he's gone."

She was quiet for a moment, trying to think of an explanation. Where could Malfoy be going? Or what could he be doing that would hide him from the map? Maybe the map was wrong? That would explain the map's faultiness.

But then again, Harry had insisted that the map never lied. So if it wasn't lying, what in Merlin's name was going on?

Then it hit her. She didn't know why she didn't think of it before!

"I know that look," Ron mused. "That's your 'I know something' face. So go on then, spit it out."

"Harry, every room in the castle is on the Marauder's Map."

"I know," Harry responded, giving her a blank look.

"Except there's one room that's able to hide itself so it can look like it doesn't exist."

Ron's eyes lit up. "You're bloody brilliant, Hermione."

She beamed, thankful for the praise. Turning to Harry, she saw that he too was getting it.

"Malfoy's been in the Room of Requirement!" Harry whispered excitedly.

"Yes, he has been!" Hermione said. "There's no other explanation. He must be going inside and asking the room to be unplottable or something. That way no one would be able to find him."

"This proves it, then," Harry said. "Malfoy is definitely up to something."

Hermione frowned, shaking her head. "No, Harry, this doesn't prove anything. He could be doing homework in there for all we know."

Harry didn't look convinced.

"You can't bring this to Dumbledore, Harry. That's a large accusation, and we don't have proof. Professor Dumbledore already knows to keep an eye on Malfoy, so there isn't any point in making more of a fuss."

"She's right, mate," Ron grumbled before putting another biscuit on his plate. "Pass the pumpkin juice, would you, 'Mione?"

She did, but continued to look at Harry. "Please, don't go getting yourself into trouble."

"I won't," Harry promised.

"Thank you," Hermione stated. "I have enough to worry about… I don't need to worry about you too."

Ginny had remained unusually quiet throughout lunch. She was so quiet, in fact, that Hermione had almost forgotten she was there.

"Ginny, are you all right?" Hermione asked her friend.

Ginny nodded. "Cramps," she murmured. "I just don't feel well at all."

Hermione gave her a sympathetic look. "Sorry, hun. I know what that's like. I'm actually due next week."

"Okay, stop being gross," Harry said, looking a sickly shade of green. "We don't talk about stuff like that in public."

Ginny and Hermione shared a laugh, while Ron and Harry exchanged looks.

"Boys," Ginny said, shaking her head. "Growing up in a house full of them wasn't any fun."

"I can only imagine," Hermione said. "Ron, I know you have a free period."

His eyes widened. "Er, yes, but you know, I had planned on studying a lot, and I had thought—"

"Oh, stop it, Ronald," Hermione said, shaking her head. "Honestly."

He looked sheepish.

"Why don't we head to the Room of Requirement together? We could take a small look around."

"Okay." Ron nodded. "We can do that."

"What about me?" Harry asked, looking hurt.

Hermione glanced at him. "You always spend Sunday afternoon with Ginny and Hagrid."

"But I want to come explore," Harry said with a small pout.

"No, Harry," Hermione said, unable to resist laughing. "You carry on with your normal plans. Honestly, we'll contact you right away if something happens."

"Anything suspicious at all, I want to know," Harry insisted.

"And we'll let you know," Hermione promised. "But since we're done with lunch, why don't we go now?"

"All right," Ron said, standing. He waited for Hermione to stand before exiting the Great Hall.

The two of them headed towards the Room of Requirement. Hermione was lost in her own thoughts. She kept wondering how Sirius was and if he was all right. She hoped he wasn't doing anything too dangerous.

"So, is Sirius treating you all right?" Ron asked, trying to make conversation.

"Of course he is," Hermione said with a small smile. "You don't need to worry, Ron."

"I know," he said, smiling sheepishly. "Just doing my friend duties." He chuckled.

Hermione glanced at him from the corner of her eye. She saw that he was smiling, which made her happy. It was nice to see Ron with a smile on his face.

"Here we are," he announced, looking at the wall.

Hermione tore her gaze from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy teaching trolls ballet. Facing the wall, she sighed. "How do you think we get in?" she asked.

Ron shrugged. "You're the brains of this operation, Hermione, not me." He chuckled.

She started to walk past and forth, thinking about the place Malfoy had been hiding. When she walked past it three times, the door appeared.

"Do you think it worked?" Ron asked.

"Only one way to find out," Hermione responded. She moved towards the door and slowly pushed it open. It creaked as it swung open and Hermione hoped that no one was inside to hear. Pulling out her wand, she carefully walked into the room. Ron followed close behind.

The room was a mess. There were items piled high every which way, and only small aisles were there for people to walk through. Looking at the nearest pile, Hermione spotted a few books, a dresser, and other knickknacks.

"What is this?" Ron asked, his voice low.

"I don't know," Hermione responded.

"It looks like random junk."

She nodded in agreement. "Maybe this is all the stuff people put in here to hide and then forget about?"

"Maybe," Ron said. "That would make sense. Stashing something quick and then losing it in this mess. I can see how that would happen."

"Mmmm," Hermione hummed as she rounded a corner. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on edge. "Ron," she hissed, her eyes darting around nervously.

Ron, sensing her panic, pulled his wand as well. He moved closer to her as he was determined not to let anyone harm Hermione on his watch.

Unfortunately, neither of them saw their attacker come from above.

Ron went down first, his wand clattering from his hand. The noise alerted Hermione, who quickly looked upwards to see Malfoy hovering in the air on a broom. There was a red flash and Hermione knew no more.

 


	25. Chapter Twenty-Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Many thanks to Muggle Jane and Krissy for looking this over for me. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story.

**Chapter Twenty-Five  
**

Hermione groggily opened her eyes. It was dark, and there was a musty smell in the air. She cringed as she realised there was another smell – one that she couldn't place. She went to move her arms but found that she couldn't. Looking upwards, she realised that she was chained to a wall. She tugged on the shackles, trying to escape.

"Hermione!"

She froze. "Ron?" she asked into the darkness.

"Yeah, s'me," he answered. "I think I'm in the same cell as you."

"Do you know where we are?" she asked him, her heart racing with the possibility.

"No," Ron responded. "If I had to guess, I'd say the dungeons at Malfoy Manor. Do you have your wand?"

"No," she replied.

"Yeah, me neither."

Hermione bit her lower lip. "Ron, this isn't good," she whispered.

"No, it's not."

* * *

Harry sat down in the Great Hall for dinner. He looked around the busy hall trying to find Ron and Hermione. When he didn't notice them, he shrugged and sat down. They'd be around sooner or later.

As he piled food on his plate, Ginny came and took a seat next to him. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before looking up and down the table. "Where are Hermione and Ron?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. They said they were going to check out the Room of Requirement earlier, so they might still be doing that."

Ginny looked nervous. "Harry," she whispered, leaning close so no one else could hear their conversation. "They were investigating Malfoy, weren't they?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Well, isn't it weird that Malfoy isn't here at dinner either?" She glanced around the hall, frowning. "What if something's happened to them?"

Harry's green eyes widened. "Ginny!" he explained. "Oh, Merlin, I feel so stupid. I didn't even think of that." He stood, grabbing her hand. "Come on, let's go check the map."

The two of them rushed from the Great Hall, their dinner long forgotten. Once in the hallway, Harry pulled Ginny into an empty classroom and took out the Marauder's Map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Within seconds, the map appeared and showed everyone's location.

As they scanned the map, Harry felt a sickening sensation grow in his stomach. Hermione, Ron, and Malfoy were all nowhere to be found. "Shite," he cursed. "We need to tell Dumbledore."

Ginny nodded, her eyes wide. Her hands trembled slightly as she tried to close the map.

Harry reached out, his hands covering hers. He held them for a moment, causing them to still. "Don't worry, Ginny." He looked into her eyes. "The two of them are tough… I'm sure they are all right."

"I hope so," she whispered, ignoring the tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. "Let's go."

"Mischief managed," Harry said, tapping the map with his wand. The map disappeared and turned into a regular piece of parchment. Holding Ginny's hand, the two of them quickly made their way to the Headmaster's office.

"Sugar quills," Harry said, watching as the gargoyle leapt aside.

The two of them rushed up the steps to the Headmaster's office. They paused outside the double doors. Harry reached up and tentatively knocked. "Professor Dumbledore!" he shouted. "It's urgent."

The door swung open. Harry and Ginny rushed in to find Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall speaking.

"Miss Weasley, Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall scolded. "What is the meaning of barging in here?"

"Professors," Harry began, a worried expression on his face. "I'm afraid that there's been an accident. Both Hermione and Ron are missing, and we think that Malfoy has something to do with that."

"That's a bold statement," Professor McGonagall said. "Do you have any proof?"

"Not exactly," Ginny answered honestly. "But the Malfoys have been after Hermione for quite some time. It wouldn't surprise me if they were responsible."

"Without proof, there is no way we can assume that—"

"Minerva," Professor Dumbledore sighed. "I'm afraid that Mr Potter and Miss Weasley may be correct in their assumptions. I've received word that Sirius has been captured by Death Eaters."

"Sirius," Harry whispered, horrified about everything that was happening. "We need to go after them, Professor! We need to rescue them."

"I understand that, Harry," Dumbledore said gently. "I've got a small team organising themselves as we speak. We shall rescue Sirius, along with Mr Weasley and Miss Granger."

"I want to come," Harry said firmly.

"I can't allow that," Dumbledore said firmly. "It's going to be dangerous, Harry. You need to stay here."

"Here? Where it's safe?" Harry shook his head. "I'm sorry, Professor, but Hogwarts isn't exactly safe. Two of your students were abducted and removed from Hogwarts property by a third student." Harry crossed his arms. "Besides, Hermione and Ron are my best friends. I'm going with you."

Professor Dumbledore sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be able to sway Harry's mind. Whether he permitted it or not, he knew Harry would end up at Malfoy Manor one way or another.

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "But Miss Weasley will not be accompanying us." Ginny made to protest, but Dumbledore held his hand up to silence her. "I'm sorry, Miss Weasley, but you cannot come. You should return to dinner before it is over."

Ginny pursed her lips, but nodded. She gave Harry one last look before turning to leave.

"Minerva, take care of the school while I'm gone," Dumbledore said.

Professor McGonagall nodded. "Be safe, the both of you." She walked from the room, leaving Dumbledore and Harry alone.

"Are you ready, Harry? You must be ready for anything. This is most certainly a trap."

* * *

"Well, well, well." A light filled the room and showed Draco Malfoy sneering at them both haughtily. "Look at the two of you snivelling in the dark."

Hermione looked to her left and saw Ron was chained to the wall as she was. He looked at her nervously, his blue eyes wide.

"I can't believe I actually got you both here," Draco said. "The Dark Lord and Father are very pleased with me."

"We were some mission, then?" Hermione asked, her words laced with venom. "You're going to be in a lot of trouble for this, Malfoy."

Draco shrugged, uncaring of her words. "I doubt that. Father and the Dark Lord practically have control of the Ministry, and soon the Dark Lord will be in control of Hogwarts. If I'm sent to Azkaban, I'll be out before either of you can blink." He smirked. "But that's all under the assumption that the two of you will escape. I know you won't."

"How can you be so sure?" Hermione inquired. "People know where we are. They know we were investigating you."

Draco looked smug, appearing as if the cat had indeed gotten the canary. "You make valid points; however, my dear Mudblood, that's what we were counting on. In fact, the Dark Lord is upstairs now waiting for Potter to come here to rescue you."

Hermione's heart skipped a beat. She knew that Malfoy was right, Harry would indeed come to rescue them. Oh, Merlin, this was a trap.

A scream echoed through the dungeon. Hermione cringed at the sound, the hairs on her arms stood on end. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the painful scream. Whoever it was, they were in a lot of pain.

"Hermione," Ron murmured softly. "That sounds like…"

Hermione's eyes snapped open in recognition. "Sirius," she breathed. She looked at Malfoy. "What are you doing to him?"

Malfoy gave a careless shrug. "No doubt Aunt Bella is having her fun with him. She never quite forgave him for sullying the Black name."

"But you would sully the Malfoy name?" Hermione asked. "Wasn't that part of your whole brilliant plan?"

"Not anymore," Draco responded. "Originally, we had planned on killing Sirius and then forcing you to marry me."

"I will never marry you," Hermione spat viciously.

"That's why I brought the Weasel," Draco said, rolling his eyes. "To use him as leverage against you. I know you'd never let a friend suffer."

"But what changed?"

"Well, if the Dark Lord successfully kills Potter and Dumbledore today, then there's no need for either of you." He grinned maliciously. "But we won't know until later, then, eh? How about we have a little fun first?" Draco pointed his wand at Hermione. "Cru—"

"No!" Ron screamed as he struggled against his bonds. "Hurt me instead! Don't touch her!"

"Ron, no!" Hermione shouted at him.

"I'm not picky." Draco shrugged, pointing his wand at Ron. "Crucio!"

Ron let out a blood-curdling scream as he convulsed against the wall. Hermione could only watch in horror as her best friend was tortured. She had to do something! Anything! They needed to get out before it was too late.

Suddenly, there was a blast of red, and the room went dark.

"Ron! Ron!" Hermione called frantically, hoping that he was all right. "Ron!"

Hermione felt a pair of hands on her arms. Immediately, she began to scream and kick at her assaulter. She felt her foot connect with something solid and a groan followed.

"Hermione, stop!"

She stilled. "Remus?"

"Yes, it's me. Now hold still so I can free you."

Light filled the room. Hermione quickly looked around. Tonks was near the entrance, holding her wand above her head. Bill was quickly releasing Ron.

Hermione dropped to the floor once Remus released her. Immediately, she rubbed her wrists in an attempt to soothe the stinging pain. She stood, her legs wobbly. "Sirius is here. We need to find him."

"But so is Voldemort!" Ron muttered, kicking at Malfoy's still form on the floor. "Is he dead?"

"No, just stunned," Bill answered. "And Dumbledore and Harry are upstairs duelling Voldemort now. We knew this was a trap."

"They're duelling him alone?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"No, Moody is with them as well. More Aurors should be on their way."

Hermione nodded before turning to Remus. "I need to find Sirius." She took off, running down the hallway in search of her husband.

 


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Hermione rushed through the hallways, shouting Sirius’s name.   _ He has to be here! I heard his screams… I know he’s here somewhere. Oh, please let him be all right.  _  The words tumbled through her mind repeatedly.

She skidded to a stop in front of a cell and pushed inside.  She cursed when she realised she didn’t have a wand so she couldn’t see very well.  “Sirius?” she asked tentatively. “Are you in here?”

A groan answered her.

“Sirius!” she cried as she rushed forward.  Her hands groped in the dark, and she came in contact with a body.  She moved her hands around and recognised that the body she was touching was her husband’s.   “Sirius, can you hear me? I’m going to get you out of here.” She began to pull on his chains, trying to free him.  A frustrated cry tore from her lips, and a burst of magic exploded outwards from her body. Sirius fell to the floor with a thud, causing Hermione to realise that she had performed accidental magic.

“What happened?” Ron asked, panting in the doorway.  “How did you free him without a wand?”

Tonks appeared moments later and cast a Lumos charm.

“I don’t know,” Hermione answered, trying to sit Sirius up.  “Sirius? Sirius, can you hear me?”

He groaned.  His clothing was stained with blood and a feeling a dread sunk into the pit of her stomach.

“Oh, Sirius,” she moaned, tears in her eyes.  “Please, please wake up. Please be all right.”

Sirius reached up and cupped her face.  “Hermione?”

“Yes,” she said quickly.  “Sirius, it’s me. It’s all right. I’m going to get you out of here.”

“I…” he trailed off, a painful moan escaping his lips.

“Sirius? Sirius, what is it?” Hermione asked, panic in her voice.  “Sirius?”

“I— I can’t see.”

Hermione’s heart stopped. She felt as if she couldn't breathe at that very moment.  “Sirius? What do you mean?”

“I mean I can’t see anything.”

“We… We need to get you out of here,” Hermione said, trying to get him to stand. She pushed down the panic that was spreading throughout her body.  She quickly grew numb, feeling as if she was going to be sick at any moment. “Come on… you need to go to St. Mungo’s.”

“Not St. Mungo’s,” Remus said.  “Apparate to Hogwarts. Bring him to Madame Pomfrey.  She’ll be able to look at him. I don’t think St. Mungo’s is safe. We can't risk it."

“Okay,” Hermione said, nodding.  She stood, only to fall to her feet when the entire manor shook. She looked up, eyes full of worry as she met Ron's gaze.

“Go,” Ron said quickly. He handed her a spare wand he had gotten from Tonks.

“But what about you?” Hermione asked, helping Sirius fully to his feet. She staggered under his weight.  “Come with us, Ron. You need to get looked at, too.”

Ron shook his head, a determined look on his face. “I’m going upstairs to fight.  Harry is going to need me.”

“Then he’ll need me too!” Hermione cried, tears now fully streaming down her face. “I have to help him. He needs me… He needs me.” She felt as if her world was crashing down around her. Glancing at her husband, Hermione had never felt more torn in her entire life.

“Shhh,” Sirius croaked.  “Don’t cry, love.”

“Hermione, you’re not thinking clearly,” Remus said, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.  He looked at her, pity in his eyes. “Sirius needs you right now. The two of you should get out of here while you can.  We’ll be fine, all right? You needn’t worry.”

The building shook once more, and rubble began to fall.  Smoke filled the hallway and voices could be heard.

“But I…” she began to protest.

“Now!” Remus shouted at her, as three Death Eaters entered their hallway.  He began to duel, Tonks and Ron following him. Wands flashed as the battle began.

“Okay,” she whispered to herself.  She tightened her grip on Sirius. “Hold on tight.”

“Focus, love,” Sirius whispered, putting all of his weight onto her.  “I don’t want you to splinch us.”

Hermione closed her eyes, nodding.  Holding him tightly, she focused as she turned on the spot.

They landed in a tumbled heap on the floor.  Hermione let out a cry, intense pain radiating from her left leg.  Looking down, she realised she had splinched herself.

“Merlin, Hermione!” Sirius shouted, reaching around blindly for her.

“Mrs Black!” Madam Pomfrey shouted, running towards them. A horrified expression appeared on her face.  “What happened? How in Merlin’s name did you Apparate past the Hogwarts's wards?”

“Malfoy Manor,” Hermione gritted.  “Please, Madam Pomfrey, see to Sirius.  His wounds are more severe than mine.” She attempted to sit upright on the floor and separated herself from him.

“No, Hermione,” Sirius shouted.  “No, no, leave me!” he protested, reaching for her.

Hermione watched as Sirius struggled to push Madam Pomfrey away.  “Stun him,” Hermione whispered. “He’ll stop fighting if we knock him out.”

“Mrs Black, I am not in the habit of stunning my patients,” Madame Pomfrey said, looking affronted.

“Please,” she whispered, still crying.  “It’s the only way he’ll stop fighting.”

Madam Pomfrey seemed to understand what Hermione was getting at.  Pulling out her wand, she subdued the fighting, thrashing Sirius so she could get him into a bed.

Hermione watched before closing her eyes.  She had started feeling very weak and could no long sit upright.  She promptly fainted.

<hr>

Hermione groggily opened her eyes.  Looking around, she noticed that she was tucked into one of the beds in the hospital wing, wearing a white gown.  She cringed as she sat up a bit.

“Hermione?”

Turning, she saw Sirius lying in the bed next to her.  “Sirius,” she whispered, her heart racing. “Are you okay?” When he didn’t respond, Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes.  “Sirius? Please, talk to me.”

“I still can't see.”

She swallowed, the lump in her throat not going away.  “You… You can’t see?” She watched as Sirius shook his head.  “I…”

“It may or may not be permanent,” Sirius said quietly.  He sounded tired. “Poppy doesn’t know yet. We just have to wait and see.”

Hermione nodded, taking it in. Her lower lip wobbled as she tried to fight her tears once more. “I… you’ll be fine, Sirius.”

He scoffed angrily.  “Do you think so? I’m  _ fucking _ blind, Hermione. That doesn’t sound fine to me.” His words were bitter.

She cringed at the harsh tone in his voice but nodded.  She understood his frustration and anger. “It will be fine,” she pressed. “Regardless of whether your sight comes back or not, we made it out of there alive.  We made it out together.” She paused to wipe away some tears. “I don’t know about you, but I’m thankful that I’m alive. I’m thankful that you’re alive.”

“But—”

“Stop complaining,” she said harshly, closing her eyes as the tears fell more quickly. “You could have died. I thought you were dead.” She sobbed, wishing she could curl up into a ball.  Her bandaged leg, however, prevented that. “I saw you chained up to the wall and after hearing your screams, I thought the worse. My heart stopped, Sirius. A million thoughts went through my mind, and the only thing I could do was try and get you out of there. I know that you can’t see, but at least you’re alive.” She paused, taking a moment to try and steady her breathing.  “I don’t… I don’t even know about Ron or Harry. Or Remus, Tonks… Even Professor Dumbledore. They’re all there fighting, and I have no idea if I’ll ever see any of them again.” She closed her eyes, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. “So, Sirius, you’re alive. You’ll be fine. We’ll be fine, okay? And don’t you dare say we won’t be.”

There was a silence before Sirius cursed.  “Merlin, Hermione, I didn’t mean to upset you. I just… I’m angry, all right? I fucking fell for the trap that Malfoy had set up. I put myself in danger, and I failed. And now… Now you’re stuck with a husband who might be handicapped for the rest of his life.”

“It’s not the end of the world,” Hermione said gently, biting her lower lip.  “There are lots of devices in the Muggle world that can help with blindness. I know it’ll be difficult to adjust to, but we’ll get through it.  I’ll be there every step of the way, Sirius. You having a handicap won’t change how I feel about you. I love you.”

“I love you,” Sirius returned, his voice cracking.  “Shite, I’m sorry, Hermione. I let my temper get the best of me.  None of this is your fault.”

“It isn’t your fault either,” Hermione replied.  “We’ll just wait and see, okay? We’ll deal with whatever happens together.”

“Together,” Sirius repeated. He sighed.  “Are you all right? Madame Pomfrey said you passed out from loss of blood.  You splinched yourself as you Apparated us both out of there.”

“I don’t remember,” Hermione responded.  “I watched her get you onto a bed and then I got dizzy.  Next thing I knew, I was waking up in bed.”

“Does your leg hurt?” Sirius asked.  “Are you comfortable?”

“As comfortable as I can be.” Hermione gave him a small smile, her smile slipping from her face as she realised he couldn’t see it. Her heart ached.  “My leg still hurts, though. Are you okay?”

“A few broken ribs,” he said, “But she’s mended me up for the most part.”

“And that was no easy feat,” Madam Pomfrey said, coming over to check them both.  She looked at Sirius’s vitals before moving to Hermione. When she finished, she smiled at them both.  “You’ll both live.”

“That’s a relief,” Sirius said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.  “I’m so glad we won’t die.”

Hermione shot him a glare before realising yet again; he wouldn’t see it.  “It is a relief, Sirius. There’s no need to be rude to her. Madam Pomfrey saved both of our lives. You should thank her.”

Sirius sighed, knowing that Hermione was right.  “Thank you, Poppy, for patching us both up.”

Madam Pomfrey gave him a warm smile.  “You always were my favourite out of the bunch.  But don’t tell Remus.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Sirius retorted.

“Have you heard anything from anyone else?” Hermione asked.  It had been a few hours since the two of them had Apparated away from the manor.  She wondered what in Merlin’s name could be taking everyone so long. She could only hope that nothing bad had happened.

Madam Pomfrey shook her head.  “Unfortunately not. However, I did notice something as I was doing a scan for you, Mrs Black.  It seems that you’re pregnant.”

“Pregnant?” Sirius asked, his tone going up what seemed to be an octave.

Hermione fainted for the second time that day.


End file.
